County Council, along with County Manager Harry Burgess, right, bottom row, discuss the $2.4M budget item to purchase bear proof trash carts during Monday’s budget hearing. Councilor Sean Williams, center, and Vice Chair James Robinson, bottom left, show support for purchasing the roll carts. Screenshot/LADP

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Monday night, Los Alamos County Council approved the FY22 budget, which totals $245,119,586.

The budget was passed 6-1 with Councilor David Reagor opposed. Earlier in Monday’s budget hearing, Reagor motioned to reduce the County Manager’s budget, specifically for the Partners in Progress. He proposed reducing the program’s funding from $1.5 million to $585,000, which is the sum of the three previous projects that were in the program.

Reagor explained that he did not support the $1.5 million because it was not identified exactly what the money would be used for. Ultimately, his motion failed to pass 3-4. Reagor, Council Vice Chair James Robinson and Councilor Sean Williams supported Reagor’s motion, while Councilors Denise Derkacs, Sara Scott, David Izraelevitz and Council Chair Randall Ryti opposed it.

Robinson commended council and staff for their work with the budget. He particularly complimented staff for answering council’s questions and added it is easy to see why the Finance Department always wins awards for its budget documents.

“I just want to thank everyone for the hard work and I can’t express the gratitude for all the work you put into this document …,” he said.

Several councilors recognized Budget and Performance Manager Karen Kendall and County Manager Harry Burgess, who are both retiring this year.

“It has been a pleasure working with Mr. Burgess, and Ms. Kendall …,” Council Vice Chair Randall Ryti said.

The budget included several options that council placed on a ‘parking lot’ for further discussion.

Several budget options passed unanimously including:

• $10,000 to join the Coalition of Sustainable Communities New Mexico;
• $200,000 for UNM-LA;
• $150,000 for a design of a new tennis court;
• $15,000 for play structures for the multi-generational pool;
• $28,200 for third party software support;
• $161,664 for a full-time broadband manager; and
• $500,000 for broadband design services.

The biggest budget item in the parking lot, $2.4 million to purchase every residence a bear-proof trash cart and every commercial property a bear-proof dumpster, passed by a slim margin of 4-3. Robinson, Ryti, Derkacs and Williams voted for the budget option while Reagor, Izraelevitz and Scott voted against it. The budget item was originally proposed at $1,705,000 but Robinson moved to increase it to $2.4 million.

Additionally, $150,000 to create a master plan for the Community Services Department was passed 5-2, with Reagor and Williams opposed.