By RANDALL RYTI
Los Alamos County Councilor

At our Feb. 20, 2024, Council Work Session, Council will have a briefing and discussion on our Quality of Life Goal.

This goal covers six priorities:

• • • • • Health, Wellbeing, and Social Services
        • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI)
        • Mobility
        • Educational, Historical, and Cultural Amenities
        • Open Space, Parks, and Recreation
        • Public Safety

Four of these six priority areas get public input through County Boards (Art in Public Places Board, Community Health Council, Transportation Board, Historical Preservation Advisory Board, and the Parks and Recreation Board). I appreciate the many hours that community volunteers provide to these and all the other County Boards, Commission, and Task Forces. Our success as a Council depends on the dedication of these volunteers.

I am pleased that Council will again consider one of the recommendations on the Racial Equity and Inclusivity (REI) Task Force – to establish a citizen advisory board or task force to get continuing input for Council and the County on this important priority.

I called upon Council to act on the REI recommendation for a follow on board or task force many times in 2023 – as part of our discussion of Boards and Commissions in January, during the meeting in March on the REI recommendations, as a comment at the Council meeting when we recognized Juneteenth, when requesting an agenda item during our August meetings, and during an October Council meeting and during the October strategic planning session.

If you have any comments on DEI, the need for ongoing citizen engagement on this priority, or comments on any of the other Quality of Life priority areas, please join us at the Council meeting in person or remotely on February 20th at 6pm. You can also send your comments to the entire Council (~CountyCouncil@lacnm.us) or to me directly (randall.ryti@lacnm.us).