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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Los Alamos Arts in Public Places Advisory Board Meeting - February 26, 2026

County Council & Boards — Thursday, February 26, 2026

BodyLos Alamos County, New Mexico

SessionCounty Council & Boards

DateThursday, February 26, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:38:43

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:01

5 30, we'll call the meeting to order.

0:03

Any public comment for anything not on the agenda.

0:12

I don't see anybody.

0:17

So then we'll move on to business.

0:20

Farewell to me.

0:24

I wanted this one to go on the first on the beginning, just so that we could acknowledge that this is your last meeting.

0:32

And so I I wrote a little blurb.

0:35

Since this is Stephanie's last meeting as our chair, I want to take a moment to thank her for her service over the past two terms.

0:44

For four years, she's led it with dedication and passion.

0:48

And her sense of humor and historical knowledge of our art collection have added so much to our discussions.

0:55

Her leadership has helped bring several wonderful projects to life, including the Justice Center Mosaic, the Senior Center Security Gate, and the Nature Center Sculpture.

1:05

She's also been instrumental in improving our processes, including refining the art acquisition proceed procedure, which will benefit this board and future projects for years to come.

1:17

Stephanie, we truly appreciate everything you've done for this board and for public art in our community.

1:24

It has truly made a difference.

1:26

We will miss your leadership, but we know your impact will continue to last.

1:34

And here we have a certificate of thanks for you.

1:39

Thank you.

1:41

So pretty.

1:43

A very nice frame.

1:48

I'm fun to work with you and get to know you.

1:50

I'm gonna come stalk you all.

1:51

Yes, come and get a little comment.

1:54

No, don't make you knew Dave Hampton.

1:59

Oh yes.

2:01

Yes.

2:03

To be part of our art working groups if if the new chair allows that.

2:07

Allow me to be part of the work.

2:09

Oh, he's out there.

2:11

Speaking of we're gonna get there.

2:17

Okay.

2:18

Approval of we're gonna move on.

2:21

So approval of minutes from the January 22nd, 2026 APP meeting.

2:26

I move that we approve the minutes from January 22nd, 2026.

2:30

Second.

2:31

So the motion was made by Jasmine, seconded by Anna.

2:36

All in favor?

2:37

Yes.

2:40

So we will move on to the next item of business, the fire station discussion.

2:51

And we have Chief Chief Witzenberg online.

2:55

Excellent.

2:56

And so do you want to maybe kind of the working group?

3:00

Do you guys want to talk about sort of where we are or why we've asked him to come, what kind of questions you have?

3:07

I don't know.

3:08

We can we can start out.

3:10

Um so we had a presentation, was that December?

3:15

Um from uh someone who's uh affiliated with the project in the county.

3:24

Uh so Sobia, the project manager for Station 4, came and spoke with us and the architect online that day.

3:32

And they brought up the arts part of the project.

3:36

And we kind of had concerns about it and questions about it.

3:41

I had talked to people in the community about the project, and we were hearing mixed feedback that didn't match with what we were told in the December meeting.

3:50

So we kind of just wanted to like go to the source and kind of talk with you guys about the project in general.

4:00

And you you had talked with some firemen at Smiths.

4:06

Yeah, to see like if they just as like an incidental encounter to see if they were aware of sort of this design.

4:13

Um it was, you know, kind of presented like it had been sort of discussed with you guys, but we just want to make sure that as we move forward, like integrating art into the new fire station, that um what we put there is something that you guys want to look at every day.

4:35

Got it.

4:36

Is it you want me to give my two cents an hour, or is there more um talking that you all want to do?

4:41

Yeah, go ahead.

4:42

By all means.

4:44

Okay, sorry.

4:45

Sorry for the informal formality.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Art Management█████████████████████████████████████████████67%

Procedural███████11%

Public Works███4%

Legal Review███4%

Public Engagement██3%

Public Safety█2%

Parks and Recreation█2%

Arts And Culture█2%

Historic Preservation█2%

Summary of Proceedings

Los Alamos Arts in Public Places Advisory Board Meeting - February 26, 2026

The Arts in Public Places Advisory Board met on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 5:30 PM at 1000 Central Avenue, Suite 110, Los Alamos, NM, and via Zoom. Chair Stephanie Haaser's final meeting after two terms/four years was recognized, and the board covered Fire Station 4 public art, a canceled art competition, officer elections, working-group updates, and a draft deaccession policy. The meeting adjourned at 7:12 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comment was offered for items not on the agenda.

Discussion Items

Approval of Minutes

The board unanimously approved the minutes of the January 22, 2026 APP meeting. Jasmine Stephens made the motion, Anna Buckthorpe seconded, and all members voted in favor.

Fire Station 4 Art Discussion

LAFD Chief Witzenberg joined online, along with a county senior project manager, to discuss the proposed public art for the new Fire Station 4.
Board members voiced concerns that a design tied to escaped prescribed burns could reopen community trauma from the Cerro Grande, Las Conchas, and Cerro Pelado fires. One member described the proposed glass beads representing lost homes as feeling like a kick in the face.
Chief Witzenberg said he supports educational and potentially therapeutic art on the station and thought the concept was well put together, but he was not committed to the specific design. He had no objection to hands-on or functional art.
The board agreed to request a written statement from the fire department about the art's goals and to conduct a community survey focused on theme and sentiment, not the specific proposal. The proposed front-of-station location was generally accepted; privacy film was discussed for windows into the exercise area.

Election of Officers

The board tabled the election of chair and vice-chair because Tim Foley was absent. Jasmine Stephens will serve as acting chair until the March 26, 2026 meeting, when the election will be held.

Semi Quincentennial Art Competition

The working group recommended canceling the Semi Quincentennial Art Competition because of unresolved logistical issues, including concerns about whether a juried show and acquisition fit APP's ordinance and the four-month timeline before the planned Step Up gallery exhibition.
Andy Wright moved to cancel the project; Anna Buckthorpe seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Staff will notify Step Up and the county manager's office so the project can be removed from the board's work plan.

Working Group Updates

The Historic Preservation Board and county staff expressed support for placing art at four new sign locations, but recommended waiting until the sign language and designs are finalized around April before issuing a call for art.
Designs for the lion sculpture are due March 9, 2026; a community survey will follow after the working group reviews the designs. The police department is also working on a memorial design.
Art conservators provided a cost estimate of $25,000 to $38,000 to move the clown sculpture. Pros included better site fit and reduced UV exposure; cons included the need to cut the piece, risk of crumbling, damage to handprints, and possible increased climbing by children. The working group will seek the artist's opinion before making a recommendation.

Deaccession Policy and Procedures

Staff presented the current disposal policy, a draft revised deaccession policy, and a sample decommission report. The draft emphasizes that removal should be rare, carefully considered, and documented; it adds formal criteria, legal review, and council approval.
The board formed a Deaccession Working Group with Andy Wright and Jasmine Stephens to test the process using the Aquatic Figures mural and other potential candidates. The existing clown-sculpture relocation group will remain separate.
Aquatic Figures, a 1988 mural at the aquatic center, was discussed as the first test case. Aquatic center staff reported flaking paint and a need for wall space for safety equipment and life jackets. The pool is closing for resurfacing until October, making timing relevant. The mural was one of seven pieces identified in a fall community survey as possible future deaccession candidates.
Staff noted the artist's whereabouts need to be researched. Board members also discussed periodic collection audits, reviewing older pieces over 20 years old, and including deaccession language in future acquisition contracts.

Pending Project Updates

Justice Center Mosaic: the first artist payment was reissued and FedExed; installation and three community engagement days are targeted for early June at the library, subject to temperature and artist availability.
Senior Center Security Gate: work is behind schedule; the contract deadline is being extended to April 30, 2026.
Nature Center Sculpture: installed; a ribbon cutting may be combined with PEEC's Earth Day celebration in April.
Lion sculpture: design proposals due March 9, 2026, with a community survey to follow.
Oppy Groves sign: installation expected within the next 45 days.
White Rock Pottery relocation: the conservator will provide handling instructions for the contractor moving the piece.

Board/Staff Communications

Staff Liaison Chelsea Ashcraft reported that she will be out of town and asked a board member to attend the quarterly board luncheon on March 5, 2026, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM in council chambers; Anna agreed to attend.
Pacific Coast's annual maintenance visit is scheduled for August 24-28, 2026. The board will not service the Tranquility sculpture in the pond because the cleanup effort is considered to outweigh the value of the piece.

Key Outcomes

Approved the January 22, 2026 meeting minutes.
Canceled the Semi Quincentennial Art Competition unanimously.
Tabled the election of officers; Jasmine Stephens will serve as acting chair.
Established a Deaccession Working Group and selected Aquatic Figures as the pilot case.
Directed staff to draft a Fire Station 4 community survey and obtain a fire department statement.
Next regular meeting: March 26, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

5 30, we'll call the meeting to order. Any public comment for anything not on the agenda. I don't see anybody. So then we'll move on to business. Farewell to me. I wanted this one to go on the first on the beginning, just so that we could acknowledge that this is your last meeting. And so I I wrote a little blurb. Since this is Stephanie's last meeting as our chair, I want to take a moment to thank her for her service over the past two terms. For four years, she's led it with dedication and passion. And her sense of humor and historical knowledge of our art collection have added so much to our discussions. Her leadership has helped bring several wonderful projects to life, including the Justice Center Mosaic, the Senior Center Security Gate, and the Nature Center Sculpture. She's also been instrumental in improving our processes, including refining the art acquisition proceed procedure, which will benefit this board and future projects for years to come. Stephanie, we truly appreciate everything you've done for this board and for public art in our community. It has truly made a difference. We will miss your leadership, but we know your impact will continue to last. And here we have a certificate of thanks for you. Thank you. So pretty. A very nice frame. I'm fun to work with you and get to know you. I'm gonna come stalk you all. Yes, come and get a little comment. No, don't make you knew Dave Hampton. Oh yes. Yes. To be part of our art working groups if if the new chair allows that. Allow me to be part of the work. Oh, he's out there. Speaking of we're gonna get there. Okay. Approval of we're gonna move on. So approval of minutes from the January 22nd, 2026 APP meeting. I move that we approve the minutes from January 22nd, 2026. Second. So the motion was made by Jasmine, seconded by Anna. All in favor? Yes. So we will move on to the next item of business, the fire station discussion. And we have Chief Chief Witzenberg online. Excellent. And so do you want to maybe kind of the working group? Do you guys want to talk about sort of where we are or why we've asked him to come, what kind of questions you have? I don't know. We can we can start out. Um so we had a presentation, was that December? Um from uh someone who's uh affiliated with the project in the county. Uh so Sobia, the project manager for Station 4, came and spoke with us and the architect online that day. And they brought up the arts part of the project. And we kind of had concerns about it and questions about it. I had talked to people in the community about the project, and we were hearing mixed feedback that didn't match with what we were told in the December meeting.

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