OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Los Alamos County Council Regular Session - February 17, 2026

County Council & Boards — Tuesday, February 17, 2026
BodyLos Alamos County, New Mexico
SessionCounty Council & Boards
DateTuesday, February 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:18:53

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Okay, I'd like to welcome everybody to the uh February 17th uh 2026 uh county council regular session.

0:14

Uh so tonight's meeting is gonna be in hybrid format.

0:17

That means that people can participate uh in person or remotely.

0:22

Um so people can join via Zoom and uh you can attend with uh computers or other devices and uh we'll have public comment here at the beginning of the meeting shortly, and then uh we'll have meeting on the topics as we go through them during the evening.

0:38

Um we'll have Mr.

0:41

Rayell look for uh commenters that use the raise your hand feature on Zoom or Star9 if you happen to be on a phone line.

0:51

And uh please limit your comments to three minutes or otherwise directed and make sure you state your name for the record uh before making comments.

1:00

Uh we do also appreciate virtual commenters, including their name on Zoom is gonna be properly addressed.

1:06

Uh we also request that uh commenters address the chair and focus on the topics being addressed.

1:14

And um let's see.

1:16

So I think we have everybody present here in chambers.

1:19

So I think uh I can just note that uh the record show that we have all counselors in attendance tonight.

1:27

And if you are willing and able, uh please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:52

Okay, so now we're on to the public comment item number three.

1:56

So uh is there anyone in chambers interested in making a public comment or something not on the agenda?

2:03

Uh just come forward and uh state your name for the record.

2:08

I'm Sam Gardner.

2:10

Uh you have to try press the mic too, or is it green?

2:14

That's on okay, great.

2:15

Sam Gardner uh 191 Dome Road.

2:18

I'm up in the Hamas.

2:19

I'm uh developer here developer here in Los Alamos.

2:23

Can I pass something out real quick?

2:25

You can you can give it to the county manager.

2:27

That um oh yeah, give me one, please.

2:32

This is uh uh PIT resolution that the county wrote up um in 2018.

2:37

It kind of outlines um what the county's uh relationship is with NNSA and and um I think the last line says um Incorporated County of Los Alamos fully supports the continuance of activities in plutonium uh research and development production of pits for the nuclear stockpile, on and on and on.

2:58

So I was reading um and uh good evening um counsel.

3:06

Sorry, I was supposed to uh address you guys.

3:09

Um thanks for having me.

3:11

I was reading this um daily post um February 5th uh nuclear deterrence summit, and they basically outlined what's um what's their new initiative for the lab, and I just want to make sure that everybody was online and and and good with it.

3:29

Um so I want to point out a couple um paragraphs that are in this article.

3:37

Uh um first one, the Department of Energy is pursuing one of the most ambitious dregulation efforts in decades known as Project Velocity.

3:47

The initiative uh outlined alongside other reform measures, uh rewrites dozens of safety construction and oversight rules to accelerate warhead modernization.

4:02

So to me that means that um you know we've had a lot of safety issues with traffic.

4:08

Um we have a chromium plume that have made it uh after 20 million dollars of trying to stop it down to San Defonso uh uh watershed and their water supply.

4:20

Um we've had multiple car accidents that uh uh resulted in in some fatalities and on and on and on.

4:27

I hear about the construction near misses.

4:30

And so uh what this says is basically um they plan on rolling back some of that um for the new mission, and that is to build uh nuclear weapons.

4:38

I'll get on to the next on to the next one.

4:41

Um the next uh paragraph that I that stood out to me, the NNSA is no longer defined solely as a scientific stewardship organization.

4:53

We are focused on weapons production.

5:00

I'm gonna say it again, we're focused on weapons production, delivering real capacities and innovations at speed to meet today's threats, which I don't know what those threats are.

5:07

And I don't know what uh if there was false capacities before today, but they're gonna meet real capacities over there, obviously.

5:14

And of course, the uh Pitt Production resolution says that you're in line with that.

5:19

So I just want to make sure that everybody's good with that um paragraph.

5:24

Um Mr.

5:26

Gardner, I'm sorry, but uh you're we've gone over the three minutes.

5:30

Yeah, if you can just if you had one or two sentences just to finish, please.

5:34

Okay, sure.

5:35

Um, I'll I'll just stay with that, and this is my last statement.

5:48

Um 15% of the lab now is is um science-based, right?

5:53

And about 85% is is nuclear weapons production.

5:56

Well um production of new uh weapons of mass destruction.

6:01

And so we know that um you can't say climate science at the lab now.

6:05

Is everybody aware of that?

6:06

You get in trouble.

6:07

I just talked to a climate scientist two days ago, and and they're afraid they're gonna get fired if they speak out about what's happening.

6:14

If you look out the windows and you look at um the San Alfonso or um the the mountains above uh Espaniola, uh the Truchas Mountains all the way up to Canada, uh what's happening in the Colorado River.

6:28

That takes second place right now to um building weapons of mass destruction.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Climate Action Planning████████████████16%
Budget Equity Analysis███████████11%
Sustainability███████████11%
Nuclear Safety██████6%
Public Transportation█████5%
Public Safety█████5%
Utilities Management████4%
Parks and Recreation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Los Alamos County Council Regular Session - February 17, 2026

This regular session of the Los Alamos County Council was held in hybrid format on February 17, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The council recognized the Government Finance Officers Association Triple Crown awards, received a quarterly update on the Climate Action Plan, held a public hearing to authorize the issuance of up to $40 million in gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds for broadband and other infrastructure, approved a consent agenda including a short-term power purchase agreement, and appointed a new member to the Environmental Sustainability Board.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes of the February 3, 2026 regular session.
  • Approved Contract AGR26-06 with Quicket Solutions, Inc. for court case management software and services ($373,066.55 plus GRT, 15-year term).
  • Approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) providing $350,000 for FY2026.
  • Approved a short-term Power Purchase Agreement with Tenaska Power Services Co. for $566,481.39 to meet March 2026 power load. Discussion occurred regarding Tenaska’s role as a power marketer and the temporary nature of the agreement.
  • Approved Budget Revision No. 2026-42 for $435,388 in New Mexico Department of Transportation grant funds.

The consent agenda was approved unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Sam Gardner (191 Dome Road, Los Alamos developer) expressed opposition to the county’s support for expanded nuclear weapons production at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He referenced a 2018 county resolution supporting pit production and a recent article on Project Velocity, a Department of Energy deregulation initiative to accelerate warhead modernization. He argued that safety and environmental issues (traffic, chromium plume, construction near misses) are being downplayed, and that the lab’s focus has shifted from science to weapons production (85% weapons, 15% science). He asked council to read the article and questioned their continued support.

Discussion Items

  • Recognition of GFOA Triple Crown Awards (5A): Helen Perraglio, Administrative Services Director, presented awards for the FY2025 budget, FY2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), FY2024 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), and the NMC-OSA Audit Accountability Award for Mid-Size County. The county has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 33 consecutive years, the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 34 years, and has had zero audit findings for three consecutive years. Council expressed appreciation.
  • Quarterly Climate Action Plan Implementation Update (5B): Sustainability Manager Angelica Gurule reported on year-one progress. Accomplishments include hiring a climate marketing and engagement consultant (Firebrand), publishing a draft fleet conversion and EV charging plan, and installing six new EV chargers at the county building (463 charging sessions in January and first 10 days of February). Ongoing work includes expanding EV infrastructure (two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library), constructing the Foxtail Flats solar array (delayed to June 2027 due to environmental clearance), developing a commuter trip reduction program, and researching tariff-on-bill financing. The Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) has a 17% recycling contamination rate (steady for a decade) and is focusing on education. Councilors asked about the tariff program, contamination causes, coordination with LANL, and building code updates.
  • Public Hearing: Resolution 26-06 – $40M Gross Receipts Tax Improvement Revenue Bonds (8A): Helen Perraglio explained that the resolution authorizes up to $40 million in bonds to finance improvements to the county’s broadband system and other public facilities. The preliminary official statement will be posted February 18, pricing is expected February 25, and closing March 10. The county maintains excellent bond ratings (S&P and Moody’s), with an estimated borrowing cost of 3.8–4%. The resolution was adopted unanimously (7-0).
  • FY2026 2nd Quarter Financial Overview (9A): CFO Melissa Dadzie presented the financial status as of December 31, 2025. General fund cash and investments total $180 million (book yield 3.68%); utilities portfolio $57 million (yield 4.27%). Total general fund revenues are at 52% of revised budget, with investment income at 105% due to favorable market conditions. Property tax collections are at 61%. Expenditures are 17% higher than the same period last year, in line with budget increases. Capital improvement projects are at 17% life-to-date, with major projects in design (Fire Station 4, Denver Steels, Emergency Operations Center). No action was taken.
  • Appointment to Environmental Sustainability Board (10B1): Council interviewed two candidates for one vacancy. After a roll call vote, Carly Blair was appointed (5 votes for Blair, 2 for Laural Hardin) to a partial term ending July 31, 2026.
  • Councilor Expenses (10G): Council approved up to three councilors to attend the Main Street America Now conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 12–15, 2026. Motion passed unanimously (7-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous approval of the consent agenda (7-0).
  • Adoption of Resolution 26-06 (7-0) authorizing up to $40 million in gross receipts tax bonds for broadband and infrastructure improvements.
  • Appointment of Carly Blair to the Environmental Sustainability Board (5-2 vote).
  • Approval of councilor travel expenses for the Main Street America Now conference (7-0).
  • Next steps: The preliminary official statement for the bonds will be posted February 18, pricing February 25, and closing March 10. The Climate Action Plan update will continue with consultant Firebrand, and the Foxtail Flats solar array is expected to reach commercial operation by June 30, 2027. A joint meeting with the school board is scheduled for February 26, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, I'd like to welcome everybody to the uh February 17th uh 2026 uh county council regular session. Uh so tonight's meeting is gonna be in hybrid format. That means that people can participate uh in person or remotely. Um so people can join via Zoom and uh you can attend with uh computers or other devices and uh we'll have public comment here at the beginning of the meeting shortly, and then uh we'll have meeting on the topics as we go through them during the evening. Um we'll have Mr. Rayell look for uh commenters that use the raise your hand feature on Zoom or Star9 if you happen to be on a phone line. And uh please limit your comments to three minutes or otherwise directed and make sure you state your name for the record uh before making comments. Uh we do also appreciate virtual commenters, including their name on Zoom is gonna be properly addressed. Uh we also request that uh commenters address the chair and focus on the topics being addressed. And um let's see. So I think we have everybody present here in chambers. So I think uh I can just note that uh the record show that we have all counselors in attendance tonight. And if you are willing and able, uh please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay, so now we're on to the public comment item number three. So uh is there anyone in chambers interested in making a public comment or something not on the agenda? Uh just come forward and uh state your name for the record. I'm Sam Gardner. Uh you have to try press the mic too, or is it green? That's on okay, great. Sam Gardner uh 191 Dome Road. I'm up in the Hamas. I'm uh developer here developer here in Los Alamos. Can I pass something out real quick? You can you can give it to the county manager. That um oh yeah, give me one, please. This is uh uh PIT resolution that the county wrote up um in 2018. It kind of outlines um what the county's uh relationship is with NNSA and and um I think the last line says um Incorporated County of Los Alamos fully supports the continuance of activities in plutonium uh research and development production of pits for the nuclear stockpile, on and on and on. So I was reading um and uh good evening um counsel. Sorry, I was supposed to uh address you guys. Um thanks for having me. I was reading this um daily post um February 5th uh nuclear deterrence summit, and they basically outlined what's um what's their new initiative for the lab, and I just want to make sure that everybody was online and and and good with it. Um so I want to point out a couple um paragraphs that are in this article. Uh um first one, the Department of Energy is pursuing one of the most ambitious dregulation efforts in decades known as Project Velocity. The initiative uh outlined alongside other reform measures, uh rewrites dozens of safety construction and oversight rules to accelerate warhead modernization. So to me that means that um you know we've had a lot of safety issues with traffic. Um we have a chromium plume that have made it uh after 20 million dollars of trying to stop it down to San Defonso uh uh watershed and their water supply. Um we've had multiple car accidents that uh uh resulted in in some fatalities and on and on and on. I hear about the construction near misses. And so uh what this says is basically um they plan on rolling back some of that um for the new mission, and that is to build uh nuclear weapons. I'll get on to the next on to the next one. Um the next uh paragraph that I that stood out to me, the NNSA is no longer defined solely as a scientific stewardship organization. We are focused on weapons production. I'm gonna say it again, we're focused on weapons production, delivering real capacities and innovations at speed to meet today's threats, which I don't know what those threats are. And I don't know what uh if there was false capacities before today, but they're gonna meet real capacities over there, obviously. And of course, the uh Pitt Production resolution says that you're in line with that. So I just want to make sure that everybody's good with that um paragraph. Um Mr. Gardner, I'm sorry, but uh you're we've gone over the three minutes. Yeah, if you can just if you had one or two sentences just to finish, please. Okay, sure.

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