Los Alamos County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Los Alamos County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
County communication and fiscal stewardship
The county website got a major overhaul, the Rept videos have saved ~400 staff hours, and the community survey drew 620 responses. Financially: clean audit, a $40M broadband bond and a fresh $35M bond for Fire Station 4.
Standardizing member terms to January–December
A proposal to align all Health Council member terms to a January-through-December calendar was up for discussion and possible action. No outcome is on record.
Community performance dashboard
The county launched a redesigned online dashboard of performance metrics — housing maps, permit wait times, tourism trends, public safety stats — that residents can explore directly. Councilors suggested adding goals and behavioral health data.
Contract employee salary adjustments
The county manager, utilities manager, and county attorney get raises of 4%, 3.5%, and 3% following closed-session evaluations.
$30,000 Budget Increase for Digital Collections
The County Council passed a modest library budget increase this spring, including $30,000 more for digital collections like OverDrive and Hoopla — good news in a market where publisher access models make e-books and audiobooks pricey.
Fleet management software upgrade
The county is spending up to $1.2 million over five years on AssetWorks software that adds GPS tracking to its ~675-unit fleet — better dispatching in emergencies and snowstorms, idle-time monitoring and route savings.
Councilor conference travel approved over dissent
Council approved up to three councilors attending NACo conferences (including Hawaii) and the NM Counties conference — Councilor Cull voted no, citing budget timing and optics.
EV Fleet Expansion Metrics
A request was made for county EV fleet metrics comparing fuel use versus electricity as the county's electric fleet grows. It's an early look at whether electrification is paying off for taxpayers.