By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com
The League of Women Voters of Los Alamos hosted all six candidates vying for thee seats on the Los Alamos County Council at a forum Monday evening via Zoom.
The Zoom channel hit its maximum of 100 viewers for the event. The Chamber of Commerce also hosted the candidates Oct. 1.
The candidates include Republican David Reagor, Democrats Denise Derkacs, Sean Jameson Williams and Rodney Gerode Roberson, Independent Aaron Dennis Winter Walker and Libertarian James Rickman.
The League also hosted Democratic House Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler and Republican challenger David Hampton Monday night.
Derkacs stressed her campaign pledge to, “Help the County plan for growth and embrace the future, while preserving the past.”
Her goals include exploring all options to increase housing, upgrading services to keep up with growth and achieving commercial sustainability by streamlining the permitting process and exploring new zoning regulations.
Walker, 35, said there should be a broader range of people on the Council. He said his status as an Independent guaranteed he would not be influenced by a political party.
“The Council needs a mentality shift,” he said. “We need leaders that represent all residents.”
He promised openness and transparency.
Sean Williams has “experience on both sides of the bridge”. He came to Los Alamos as a computer scientist for Los Alamos National Laboratory and is now a business owner. He and his partner own and manage Automotive Professionals, an automotive repair business on DP Road.
“I have great respect for the blue collar workers that make the County run,” he said. “My main point in running is to make it more sane to be in business in Los Alamos.”
James Rickman grew up in Los Alamos and chose to return. He wants to represent the “missing middle”, he said. These people are those who aren’t poor enough to be entitled to subsidies, but can’t afford the high and rising cost of housing and services on the Hill. Having served four years on the Council previously, Rickman said he’s ready to “hit the ground running”.
A relative newcomer to Los Alamos, Roberson stressed his leadership skills, honed during his 20 years in the Marine Corps and years as an emergency management professional. Downtown revitalization is a major issue for Roberson. He said he would govern from a “standpoint of inclusion”.
Reagor is retired from LANL and ready to “give back to the community”. Supporting local business should be the primary goal of the County Council, he said.
When questioned on housing, Williams said low income housing deserves to be a priority. Other options should be explored before building on open space, he continued. Williams pointed to the 20 acres on DP Road that formerly housed DOE sites as an example of available land.
Rickman said the highest priority for housing was the “missing middle” income residents. He stressed redeveloping blighted areas.
Roberson said the Council should look at refurbishing existing housing. Low income housing is a priority for him, he said. He sees building on recreational land as a “last resort”.
Reagor said senior housing in White Rock would open up larger homes to families who need them, while allowing seniors to downsize.
Derkacs said the major need is for low and middle income housing. She suggested placing lower density housing on land such as the school property on North Mesa and placing her density housing in mixed use areas such as downtown.
Walker agreed that affordable housing must take priority and that land transfers from DOE could be part of the solution.
“Businesses can’t hire because employees are not available because of the high cost of living in Los Alamos,” he said.
Both forums are online for viewing at the League’s YouTube channel, here, and the Chamber’s website here. The Chamber hosed the District 43 candidates at an earlier forum and that video also is available online and was covered in the Daily Post. The League hosted the candidates for PRC and New Mexico Senate District 5 Oct. 1. That forum will be discussed in a separate article and also is available on the League’s YouTube channel. Highlights from the District 43 League forum will be included in the upcoming story.
