By ANDY WOLFSBERG
Los Alamos

For those of you who haven’t voted already, and I know the number is decreasing rapidly, I hope you’ll consider voting for Jim Rickman for County Council.

When I distill all the reasons for doing so, it comes down to this: Jim is a truly decent human being and he cares about Los Alamos with all his heart. I grew up with Jim here in Los Alamos, went on student council road trips to Portales, double-dated at high school dances, and always found that he could make people feel good about themselves and about this special place we live in.

Jim and I both came back to Los Alamos, started at LANL at about the same time, and I found that he never lost his absolute commitment to this place. He served on the county council previously and put his heart and soul into the position of service, again helping Los Alamos recover after the Cerro Grande Fire, and I believe always showing a mature and thoughtful approach to all issues that came before the council. 

I spent several long nights with Jim in the hotline center after the Cerro Grande Fire and was always inspired by the care and sincere attention he gave people calling in, distraught over having lost their houses, just as Jim and his wonderful mother Geneah had lost their homes.  

Jim’s a good guy. He’ll stand up for what’s best for Los Alamos, take all angles of complex situations into consideration, and sincerely try to do what’s best for our town. Jim’s not beholden to any specific political doctrine, which turns out to be really good at the local level. He appreciates what is special about our town, the unique character, the remarkable history, and the tremendous outdoor access.

This is the place he has and always will hang his hat. Thus, I think Jim will take a long and studied view on decisions that come before the council when considering if and what land to develop, how best to promote what’s unique about Los Alamos, and how to ensure that our town maintains its character and appeal for all of us who love it here.

If you would like to know more about Jim, I encourage you to visit his website at: https://www.vote4rickman.com/

Editor’s note: Readers are encouraged to fact check statements made in letters and opinion pieces.