Top from left, The Bluffs Senior Apartments open to renters. Los Alamos County honors outgoing Councilors Denise Derkacs and Keith Lepsch. After two focused meetings, council passes on purchasing properties on Diamond Drive. Center from left, after weighing the possibility of switching from natural gas to propane at Elk Ridge Mobile Home, owner Yes! Communities decides to replace the natural gas system. County Golf Course improves holes one through 18 this year. Assistant Superintendent Emmanuel Abeyta holds a gopher trap at Overlook Park where the gophers are abundant. Los Alamos Reservoir is improved and reopened. Bottom from left, Ed the Goose and his partner become parents this year at Ashley Pond. County Manager Steve Lynne retires. Urban Trail is constructed and completed. Water Resource Reclamation Facility opens in White Rock. Los Alamos Daily Post file photos
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
The book has closed on 2024 and for Los Alamos County, the year was a memorable one. During 2024, the County bid farewell to some long-time faces, welcomed new ones, snipped ceremonial red ribbons on a few major capital projects, made decisions regarding several new big capital projects and faced a lot of issues that could potentially have significant long-term effects.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest events and milestones by Los Alamos County departments:
Los Alamos County Council
Changes in County Council
Council Chair Denise Derkacs and Councilor Keith Lepsch concluded their terms while Beverly Neal-Clinton and Ryn Herrmann begin their terms this year. Councilor David Reagor was re-elected to a second term on the council.
Broadband Contracts Approved
Council faced a lot of big decisions on its agendas in 2024. One of those was approving a $35 million contract to design and construct the community broadband network (CBN) along with the $15.9 million contract to operate the network in November. The purpose of CBN is to build and operate the fiber-optic network to all homes and businesses.
Sale of Diamond Drive properties voted down
Another big decision that Council faced was whether to purchase properties at 1183, 1377 and 1399 Diamond Drive. It ultimately decided not to make the purchase during its Dec. 3 meeting. The properties had a price tag of approximately $9.8 million despite the assessed value being $5.6 million. County Manager Anne Laurent pointed out that buying the land would have been an opportunity to construct a social services hub.
An ordinance to prohibit feeding wildlife to be drafted
Council also wrestled on what appropriate action to take with feeding wildlife. It was ultimately decided during the Dec. 17 meeting to direct staff to implement wildlife education plan recommendations and return to council with an ordinance to prohibit feeding wildlife and consider how NMDGF and local law enforcement could coordinate.
Public Works Department
Urban Trail Completed
The Urban Trail Project started in December 2023 but was completed this year. Project Manager Keith Wilson said the project encompasses a little under a mile of a 10-foot-wide concrete multi-use trail that begins at the intersection of 20th Street and Trinity Drive, continues north and through Fuller Lodge, travels along a short section of Peach Street, then moves to Ponderosa Street, goes through a wooded area by the tennis courts on Canyon Road and finally ends near the Aquatic Center. It is reported on the County web page for the project that work includes constructing curb and gutter, making drainage improvements as well as adding retaining walls, lighting, signage, striping, a rapid flashing beacon and 370 linear feet of an elevated boardwalk. The total cost for the project is a little more than $6.8 million.
A second road diet is in the planning stages for Trinity Drive
After being given the green light by Los Alamos County Council on Sept. 10, the Public Works Department is focusing on a hybrid road diet on Trinity Drives from Oppenheimer Drive to Knecht Street. The road diet recommends one lane in the westbound direction and two lanes in the eastbound direction. There would be a two-way left turn lane to access businesses along the corridor and to utilize in case of an evacuation. It also calls for improvements to the multi-modalities including an 8-10-foot wide sidewalk in the area of Ashley Pond, which provides connectivity to the Urban and Canyon Rim trails. Furthermore, the County has been in discussions with NMDOT’s Park n’ Ride to move the bus stop to the north side of Trinity, near the Justice Center and a stop for Atomic City Transit would be installed on the south side. Changes to this portion of Trinity Drive are being pursued to: Improve traffic operations during peak hours; provide facilities for all modes of transportation; improve safety and reduce the number of crashes; meet the recommendation in the 2021 Los Alamos Downtown Master Plan to allow people to park once and walk; minimize the amount of right-of-way acquisitions and minimize the cost of the project. As far as the timeline and next steps, the preliminary design is being developed and final design is expected to be done by May 2025 with construction starting in 2026. It should be noted that the money for the study, design and construction was awarded to Los Alamos County, from the NMDOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Fund. The total project budget is $4.25 million.
Administrative Services
Shortfall in GRT projected to begin in FY 2027
With Los Alamos National Laboratory expected to take advantage of the gross receipt tax (GRT) exemption for manufacturing once it begins its pit production, the County is projecting a shortfall in revenue in future fiscal year budgets. Administrative Services Director Helen Perraglio said during the April budget hearings that projections for GRT show that it will start to fall in FY 2027, when the laboratory begins its pit production. In response, County management proposed instituting a quarter percent incremental increase in GRT. Council is expected to decide on the quarter cent GRT increment in January 2026.
Community Services Department
Man vs. Gopher
Gophers have been a constant nuisance to County-owned parks and fields. According to a presentation made to the Parks and Recreation Board in 2024, gophers can make a burrow system 800 feet or longer that resides four to 15 inches below the surface and move 2 and a half tons of soil. This results in lawns, athletic fields and public parks becoming pot marked with upturned dirt and holes, which poses safety concerns. County Parks Superintendent Wendy Parker explained in response, the County operates a catch-and-kill battle strategy. Traps are set on County-owned land, the captured animals are collected then killed by an air compression system. The most populous areas for gophers are White Rock, North Mesa and Barranca. On a typical day, 17-30 traps are set around White Rock and six to 12 gophers are caught.
White Rock Skate Park gets upgraded
The skate park in White Rock received new modules this year. Assistant Superintendent Emmanuel Abeyta explained replacing the modules was necessary because their life expectancy is 20 years and the existing structures have turned 24. Abeyta said that the new modules can handle a variety of uses from skateboards to rollerblades and they will accommodate a range of skill levels from beginner to advanced. He added that the new structures will be laminated rather than metal and will be pre-fabricated, so it was a quick installation. The project was expected to be completed no later than Oct. 31. The total construction cost is $268,666.
Golf Course gets improvements
This year, construction was in full force at the golf course to do the following: improve holes one through 18, which covers tees, bunkers and greens as well as two new restrooms, improve the practice range, driving range and car paths and install a new net for the driving range. Final completion was scheduled for November.
County Manager’s Office
County Manager Steve Lynne Retires
After 28 years serving in Los Alamos, County Manager Steve Lynn retired in February. Anne Laurent was selected to be the new County Manager in December 2023.
Community Development Department
Bluffs Senior Apartments open for Business
The new complex at 135 DP Road opened in January and it was anticipated to be fully rented by mid-April. The complex contains two-bedroom and one-bedroom apartments. To be allowed to move in, prospective clients need to meet the affordable housing guidelines set by the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority. The rent for a one-bedroom apartment starts at $1,099 and the rent for a two-bedroom starts at $1,299. The rent covers some utilities including water, sewer and trash. Renters are responsible for electricity, internet and cable.
Public Safety
Ed the Goose is a father!
Los Alamos Police Department’s Animal Control oversaw the birth of a new goose at Ashley Pond this year. Senior Animal Control Officer Theresa Phelan said she noticed in the spring and summer of 2023, a white female goose and a brown male goose joined Ed the goose and three male ducks to reside at Ashley Pond. The brown goose met an untimely end, but Ed and the female goose have a far happier story: earlier this year she laid eggs and one hatched.
Deputy Police Chief Oliver Morris retires
Deputy Police Chief Oliver Morris retired in July from a law enforcement career that spanned two decades. James Rodgriguez was promoted to be the new Deputy Chief.
Department of Public Utilities
Board of Public Utilities Approves rule change that impacts credits for solar power
The Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved changes to Rule E-5, which covers interconnection with cogeneration and small power producers, during its regular meeting May 15. Deputy Utilities Manager Karen Kendall explained the change in this rule. The change, she said, impacts the credit for energy homeowners with solar power systems supply to the utility department. The credit will now be based on the wholesale cost rather than retail rate. A point of contention for Department of Public Utilities customers with solar power systems was that under the new rule, they receive a smaller credit. However, it was reported during the May meeting that the change would be more equitable for all its customers. The revised rule is more equitable because the wholesale cost is what DPU pays for purchase power delivered to the distribution system. The wholesale cost includes power purchases, transmission charges and other demand costs, she said. The equity issue arises because continuing to incorrectly credit the solar customers at the retail rate means those customers are not paying for the distribution operational costs. If a solar customer is connected to Los Alamos County electric distribution system, then they are benefiting from having power available after the sun goes down and should pay for their share of the operating costs.
Los Alamos Reservoir reopens
Tthe Department of Public Utilities reopened Los Alamos Reservoir in October. According to a County press release, the reservoir’s watershed was restored and stabilized using bioengineering techniques that incorporated natural materials and processes to help the watershed heal itself. This effort produced an improved access road and protection for the pipeline and electric conduit between West Road and the reservoir. Furthermore, the watershed flow regime was reconstructed and the reservoir was dredged.
White Rock’s Water Resource Reclamation Facility opens
The new Water Resource Reclamation Facility was officially unveiled to the public in November. Utilizing technology and processes to treat wastewater, the new facility produces some of the cleanest effluent water ever, according to Deputy Utility Manager for Gas, Water, and Sewer Services Clay Moseley. Moseley said the system includes adding oxygen for bacteria metabolism, exposing water to UV and operating a filtration system. The new plant treats 350,000 gallons a day but has the capacity to handle 700,000 gallons. Moseley explained the County uses treated effluent water to irrigate its parks and public fields.
No propane conversion for Elk Ridge Mobile Home Park
After considering converting Elk Ridge Mobile Home Park’s natural gas system, which was deemed to be nearing the end of its life, to propane, the mobile park’s owner Yes! Communities announced in November that it would not do that but would update the natural gas system, which would be turned over to the County to maintain and own.
The book on 2024 may be closed but Los Alamos County’s story continues. A brand new year awaits!