Inclusivity Task Force Final Report Meeting – February 18, 2026

The Inclusivity Task Force met to review, amend, and approve its final report to the Los Alamos County Council, with a quorum present and all votes unanimous. The agenda header lists the meeting as January 21, 2026, while the meeting metadata provided with the transcript says February 18, 2026; this summary uses the supplied meeting date. Chair Lueninghoener said she would not change approved wording, only formatting, before presenting to Council.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda approved unanimously.
• Minutes of the December 10, 2025 meeting approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made in person or via Zoom.

Discussion Items

• Final report objectives: Chair Lueninghoener reviewed revised objectives that included determining community inclusivity perspectives through focus groups, racial equity and inclusivity data, existing Council data and plans, county staff input and presentations, facility tours, surveys, interviews, and identification of data gaps. She stated that the objective of identifying best practices from other communities was not completed and that the report would be honest with Council about that.
• Needs identified by working groups included education on Native American culture, community empathy, cultural contributions, accessibility, land and labor acknowledgements, Jewish contributions, LGBTQ+ contributions, immediate stabilization options for unhoused individuals particularly those living in vehicles, improved access to affordable and emergency housing, better coordination and navigation across services, reduced housing barriers such as rental application fees and landlord resistance to vouchers, supportive services tied to housing stability, and addressing accessibility issues that create overlapping burdens for people with disabilities. Members added community-based social services, not only churches, to the service coordination item.
• Near-term solutions included improving county communications about reporting accessibility issues, working with tribal governments on a possible land acknowledgement, making Pueblo culture more visible through street and trail names and maps, piloting overnight safe parking tied to case management, developing an outdoor accessibility rating system with Peak, completing minor trailhead accessibility fixes, applying an accessibility checker to the county public website, keeping sidewalks clear of signs and debris, adding more accessible crossings with louder signals and flashing lights, creating sensory booths at large county events, and educating about the Sunflower Project for neurodivergent residents. County staff member Linda noted that ADA web accessibility requirements take effect by 2027 and that a contractor is being brought on, so members narrowed the website item to the county public website.
• Peace statue discussion: Tina DeYoe and Jovita Mowrer described the peace statue as a children’s gift promoting peace with ties to Los Alamos that was previously refused or tabled by Council. Richard Brethour-Bell questioned whether it clearly met a stated need, and Karen Edwards noted Art in Public Places Board requirements and donation processes. The group decided to move it from near-term to long-term, recommending that the county work with the Art in Public Places Board to incorporate more inclusive art, including considering the return of the peace statue.
• Near-term vs. long-term definitions: Members described near-term as one to two years or work that could begin immediately, and long-term as five to ten years or ongoing efforts requiring more sustained commitment.
• Long-term solutions included creating a standing inclusivity board, offering community education and inclusivity training, strengthening tribal government relationships, exploring a Native American cultural center, improving service coordination and referral pathways, developing resource maps, continuing cross-board and cross-department collaboration, expanding bus service, considering car-free walkable corridors downtown, developing a system for continuously surveying building accessibility and following through on fixes, collecting more data on emergency and transitional housing needs, and working with the Art in Public Places Board on more inclusive art.
• Lessons learned included that the task force’s scope was very broad, volunteer time was insufficient for the size of the work, most members were new to board service, dedicated staff support would make the work more impactful, more community engagement and surveying training would have helped, and there is ongoing tension between urgent needs and cautious policy or regulatory environments. Tina DeYoe added that collaboration across county departments should be part of the staffing recommendation.
• Future board recommendation: The report says the work is not finished and a long-term plan is needed. Members discussed whether to recommend a full-time staff position or dedicated hours; some supported asking for full-time support, while Karen Edwards argued that inclusivity should be embedded across every county department and championed by all employees rather than concentrated in one position. Chair Lueninghoener clarified that dedicated staff would intentionally coordinate the inclusivity lens across departments.
• Things going well: Members cited the social services division’s client-centered case management, cross-board collaboration, growing recognition of equity impacts in utility and housing discussions, the library’s DEI specialist and openness to feedback, Parks and Recreation’s trail accessibility work, overwhelming community willingness to share cultural knowledge, and effective county social media presence.

Key Outcomes

• The task force voted unanimously to approve the final report as amended, with the understanding that the chair could edit the report to add responsible parties for solutions and addenda.
• The peace statue recommendation was moved from near-term to long-term inclusive art work with the Art in Public Places Board.
• Chair Lueninghoener will present the report at a Council work session on March 17, 2026, at 6 p.m. at White Rock Fire Station 3.
• No further task force meeting was scheduled; this was the final session.