Melanee Hand recently stopped by the Post newsroom to discuss her candidacy for council. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Democrat Melanee Hand was appointed to a seat on Council earlier this year and is now running for the seat in the Nov. 8 General Election.
She recently stopped by the Los Alamos Daily Post to discuss her candidacy.
This is part of a series of Q&As with political candidates that the Post is publishing ahead of the Nov. 8 General Election.
POST: How Long Have you lived in Los Alamos?
HAND: I originally moved to Los Alamos in 1984 after graduating from college. I moved to the Jemez Mountains roughly a year later due to the shortage of affordable housing in Los Alamos. I commuted to Los Alamos every day to my job and local day care for my kids. I moved back to Los Alamos in 1994 when my kids started school and we wanted them to attend Los Alamos Public schools.
POST: Where do you work?
HAND: I am currently appointed as a Los Alamos County Councilor. I am also working part time for my husband’s small business now that I’m retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory after 22 years. I worked for Zia Company, Pan Am World Services, Johnson Controls, Inc., and Johnson Controls Northern New Mexico for 15 years before that. I also volunteer as the elected President of the Los Alamos Mountaineers and have been elected and appointed to various positions on the Board over the last 15 years or so.
POST: Why are you running for County Council?
HAND: I want to help build back confidence and trust in our County Government and make decisions that benefit our community. I want to contribute to the community using my experience and education, which helps me to perform well as a County Councilor. As a long-term resident of this community while raising my family, I understand how things have changed for better and for worse. I was also encouraged for a number of years by others who were previously on County Council to consider running because of their confidence that I would do well after watching me as the Chair of the Parks and Recreation Board. My experience includes local government planning, strategic planning, environmental stewardship, site design, and construction subcontracting. I have a bachelor’s in environmental design and a Master of Arts in organizational management. I also have significant training and continuing education classes in subjects relevant to the work performed on County Council.
POST: County Council requires a significant time commitment, usually four council meetings a month, committee meetings and other events, as well as reading preparation prior to those meetings. How will this fit in with your other commitments?
HAND: As I found out in my role as an appointed Councilor, the time commitment seems to be much greater than that. In addition to the things you mention above, I am currently a liaison to eight or so County Boards and Committees. Also, there are numerous community events and community interface responsibilities including answering emails, visiting, and meeting with citizens to discuss issues, and attending other public events that address key issues and needs of the community. County Councilors attend events during the day and in the evenings too. I have a good understanding of the time commitment needed to perform as a County Councilor.
POST: What do you believe is the role of the Council in our community?
HAND: County Council is a leader for decision-making on strategic direction, budget, and other major decisions for the Community. Council listens to citizen input, county staff recommendations, and expert advice to make those decisions. Council can steer the direction and priorities of the County with a majority vote on Council.
POST: Do you think you have any personal or professional relationships that could become a conflict of interest while serving as a Council member?
HAND: I am associated with two small manufacturing and machining businesses in Los Alamos County and this information has been disclosed to the County Human Resources department as required. I conduct ethical behavior and understand what conflicts of interest are since I was involved in many ethics’ trainings at LANL and through the planning profession (American Planning Association). I will disclose any potential COI as subjects come up and recuse myself of any decision making in those situations. I am sensitive that it is the optics as well as the reality that drives public opinion.
POST: What is your approach to handling controversial and complicated issues?
HAND: I want to learn the facts, hear input from many perspectives, receive recommendations from experts, and refer to County staff for legal or other types of advice before making a decision. I am a servant of the Community, so I am making the best decision that I can based on the input that is gathered and received.
POST: What skills and experience do you have that you believe would be beneficial to the position?
HAND: Local government land use planning, leadership positions and training at LANL, international companies, and boards, team building training and execution as a team leader at LANL, institutional knowledge of LANL and the County, environmental sustainability experience and education. I am a long-term resident within a family of four generations that have lived in Los Alamos, decades of community service on County and non-profit boards, and experience with small businesses. I also have institutional knowledge about Los Alamos National Laboratory.
POST: What previous community involvement have you had in Los Alamos or another community?
HAND: I have consistently volunteered to give back to my community even when I was a child holding events to collect donations for Muscular Dystrophy. Below I list my most significant volunteer activities in Los Alamos County over several decades.
- Los Alamos County Councilor experience, 2022
- Eight Boards and Committees while on Los Alamos County Council, 2022:
- Federal Legislative Committee – advocate for federal legislative issues of LAC interest
- Audit Committee
- Boards and Committee Work Plan Review Committee
- North Central Regional Transit District
- Tourism Implementation Task Force
- Mirador Public Improvement District Board
- Utility Policy Committee
- Personnel Board
- Los Alamos County Board Chairman, Parks and Recreation 2016–2018, Board Member 2014–2016
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park Committee 2015–2016
- Environmental Sustainability Board 2012–2015
- Fuller Lodge Historic Advisory Committee (early 2000’s)
- Open Space and Parks Advisory Subcommittee 2011–2014
- Landscape Review Committee (mid-1990’s)
- Family Strengths Network Executive Board – Member-At-Large, 2007-time frame for 3 years total
- Los Alamos Mountaineers Board, since 2005 to present on and off: served as president (current, and 3 previous times), vice-president, secretary (twice), equipment manager, program coordinator (twice), and trip leader several times.
- United Way representative for JCNNM, 1998
- Vice President of the Board for the Ranchos del Vado Property Owners Association (current 2022)
POST: Based on what you know about County government, what do you see as the top priorities and why?
HAND: My top priority is to support and improve our resident’s quality of life, which I define as working toward all the priorities below to achieve that. Why? Because that’s what makes Los Alamos such a great place to live, work, and play. I love this place!
- I support the approved County Council priorities:
- Health and Well-being, including mental health
- Small Business Vitality
- Environmental Sustainability
- Resource Conservation
- Infrastructure Improvements
- Broadband Improvements
- Recreation, Open Space, Arts, Cultural and Historical Amenities
- Affordable Housing