OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Los Alamos County Council Budget Hearing - April 27, 2026

County Council & Boards — Monday, April 27, 2026
BodyLos Alamos County, New Mexico
SessionCounty Council & Boards
DateMonday, April 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:37:17

Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

Okay, I want to welcome everyone to the uh April 27th 2026 uh county council or county council special meeting.

0:14

So it's the budget hearings first evening.

0:18

And uh want to just advise about the usual procedures that we have and then something a little different for public comment.

0:26

So we're gonna have the meeting in hybrid format.

0:30

So we'll have people here in person in council chambers and then also be able to participate via Zoom using computers or their devices.

0:40

Um we're gonna have public comment accepted uh for a block of time at the beginning of the meeting tonight.

0:49

And um the comments will be um on anything people want to comment on tonight, uh, hopefully on the on the budget options that we have and budget itself.

1:00

Um so during uh public comment uh Ms.

1:04

Madison will be looking on on Zoom to see if there's anyone that wants to make a public comment, and we'll be uh targeting uh 30 minutes for the comment.

1:16

And um so we'll keep track of the time and uh we'll probably have three minutes allocated.

1:21

I'll announce that.

1:22

We'll do a poll to see how many people want to comment before we get started.

1:26

Um so please make sure you um state your name if you're coming and making comments in person and that you have your name listed on Zoom, so you can be properly addressed.

1:37

And uh there's been some discussion about how long we're go tonight.

1:41

Um usually we uh check around nine o'clock with our progress, so we'll planning on doing that again tonight and see where we are in terms of the uh the different department presentations.

1:54

So with that, I think uh we have actually all counselors present, so I'll just make a note of that for the record.

2:01

So seven counselors are in person here in the chambers.

2:05

Um please with that one to item number two, which is pledge of allegiance.

2:10

Uh so if you're willing enabled, please join us in the pledge.

2:26

Maybe this will review just okay.

2:38

So now we'll um go to public comments.

2:42

So is there anyone in person that wants to make public comment tonight?

2:49

Not seeing anyone present in person.

2:51

Is there anyone on um Zoom that wants to make public comment?

3:00

If you'd like to make public comment, please use the raise hand feature.

3:14

Chair, I'm not seeing any hands raised.

3:16

Okay, thank you.

3:17

Ms.

3:17

Madison.

3:18

Uh so now we're on to uh item number four four, which is approval of the agenda.

3:23

Is there counselor interested in making motion on the agenda?

3:26

Councilor Cole.

3:27

I move that we approve the agenda as presented.

3:31

Second.

3:32

Okay, so we have motion by uh councillor cole, second by uh councilman Clinton.

3:37

Um see any discussion.

3:40

Um can all those in favor um raise your hand.

3:45

Okay, motion carries uh seven to zero.

3:48

Um now we're on to item five, which is the public hearing.

3:56

Uh so we're gonna have start with uh introduction um section.

4:03

Uh so Ms.

4:04

Ms.

4:04

uh Laurent, are you gonna start us off?

4:06

I am thank you, Chair.

4:07

I'm just gonna wait for the slides to come up for a minute.

4:13

Okay, we can go to slide two, please.

4:16

Um well it's my pleasure to welcome you to the fiscal year 2027 budget hearings.

4:22

Um just as a little bit of a recall.

4:24

We do this every year.

4:25

The county adopts a budget every year, and um we look out uh every other year to the second year.

4:34

And so this is a year where it's uh a new budget for both fiscal year 27.

4:38

We do a projection of 28, but what we're considering for adoption here is only fit one year.

4:44

And um this budget process and putting it all together goes back, and we start this process actually back um in 2025.

5:00

We start in the October-November timeframe, where each year we have a strategic planning session with council, and we talk about strategic priorities and focus areas, and then we transition that into budget guidance, which comes before council usually in January.

5:09

And then from there we start the crunching numbers and putting projections together and looking at the trends and how much we've spent per year and what we think is coming up in the next year, and every department submits a proposed budget that gets reviewed by the finance team and the county managers team to then present to publish as a draft by the end of March and then bring to council for these hearings.

5:34

And by law, the budget has to be adopted by June 1 of the year.

5:38

So that's where we are.

5:40

And so we this is the first night.

5:43

We have anticipated up to three nights, Monday night, tomorrow night, and Wednesday night, and it's uh depending on need.

5:50

So when we get through with the approval and adoption of the agenda, we can we don't have to continue.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis███████████████████████████27%
Technology and Innovation████████████12%
Economic Development████████████12%
Procedural██████████10%
Regional Strategic Partnerships██████6%
Public Safety█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Election Procedures████4%
Contract Management████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Los Alamos County Council Budget Hearing - April 27, 2026

On the evening of April 27, 2026, the Los Alamos County Council convened a special meeting for the first of three scheduled FY2027 budget hearings. The meeting ran from 6:00 PM to approximately 9:15 PM, recessing to April 28, 2026, after completing presentations for the County Council, County Assessor, County Clerk, County Sheriff, Municipal Court, Probate Court, County Attorney, County Manager’s Office, Administrative Services, and Community Development departments. Council heard an overview of the county’s financial health, including a projected $23 million operating shortfall in FY2026 and a proposed $349.3 million expenditure budget for FY2027, which is $18.7 million lower than the FY2026 adopted budget. The budget includes a new 0.625% GRT increment effective July 1, 2026, and a proposed increase in the General Fund unassigned fund balance reserve target from 20% to 25% of actual revenues. No public comments were submitted.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public offered comment, either in person or via Zoom.

Discussion Items

  • Budget Overview and Financial Health: County Manager Anne Laurent and CFO Melissa Dadzie presented the FY2027 budget guidance, emphasizing a flat budget with inflationary adjustments, a 1% salary structure increase, a 3% merit increase, and a 6% group health adjustment. They highlighted that FY2025 GRT revenue fell $17.5 million below FY2024, and FY2026 GRT is projected at $83.7 million, $3.4 million below the adopted budget. The FY2026 ending fund balance is projected at $70.4 million, with a $23 million operating shortfall. The proposed FY2027 total countywide GRT is $113 million, with $104 million in the General Fund.
  • County Council Budget: Council discussed a budget option to increase travel and training from $32,650 to $70,000 ($10,000 per councilor). The option was moved to the parking lot for further discussion. Council tentatively approved the base budget of $689,037 on a 6-1 vote, with Councilor Reger opposing.
  • County Assessor: The assessor noted a potential future request for a new computer system (not in this budget). The department’s budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $1,103,955.
  • County Clerk: The clerk highlighted a 26.1% voter turnout in the 2025 local election, implementation of automatic voter registration, and a 10% reduction in operational costs by transitioning to a state-provided election worker management system. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $1,413,467.
  • County Sheriff: The sheriff’s budget covers sex offender registry management. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $18,671.
  • Municipal Court: The judge reported successes in youth programs (1,226 youth at Hawk Hangout, 100 teens in Teen Court) and pre-trial services. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $945,750.
  • Probate Court: The budget reflects increased compensation for the probate judge. Tentative approval was unanimous at $19,149.
  • County Attorney: The attorney’s office closed 324 items, including ordinances on speed cameras, broadband bonds, and housing agreements. Two new attorneys will start in May. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $1,659,283.
  • County Manager’s Office: The office manages administration, HR, risk management, communications, sustainability, broadband, and intergovernmental affairs. A budget option for $15,000 for inclusivity training was included. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $25,120,330, including the training option.
  • Regional Strategic Partnerships: The fund has $2.5 million in annual allocations. As of April 22, 2026, reimbursements to Rio Arriba County ($841,296), Española ($1,945,032), and San Ildefonso Pueblo ($500,000) left $1,024,233 unallocated at end of FY2026, with $2,999,233 projected for FY2027. The budget is tentatively approved as part of the county manager’s motion.
  • Administrative Services Department (ASD): ASD highlighted accomplishments including the broadband bond issuance, e-procurement implementation, cybersecurity (8,300 blocks per day), and processing 3,625 IPRA requests. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $19,213,845.
  • Community Development Department (CDD): CDD reported issuing 555 residential and 43 commercial permits, adoption of the East Downtown MRA, and progress on housing projects (Coyote Mesa, 20th Street). The economic development fund holds $12.4 million for LEDA and MRA projects. The budget was tentatively approved unanimously at $18,524,732.

Key Outcomes

  • Tentative Budget Approvals: All departments presented received tentative approval as follows:
    • County Council: $689,037 (6-1, Councilor Reger opposed)
    • County Assessor: $1,103,955 (unanimous)
    • County Clerk: $1,413,467 (unanimous)
    • County Sheriff: $18,671 (unanimous)
    • Municipal Court: $945,750 (unanimous)
    • Probate Court: $19,149 (unanimous)
    • County Attorney: $1,659,283 (unanimous)
    • County Manager’s Office (including Regional Strategic Partnerships): $25,120,330 (unanimous, with $15,000 inclusivity training budget option included)
    • Administrative Services: $19,213,845 (unanimous)
    • Community Development: $18,524,732 (unanimous)
  • Budget Options: The County Council travel budget option ($37,350) was placed in the parking lot for further discussion. The inclusivity training option ($15,000) was included in the county manager’s tentative approval.
  • Meeting Adjournment: The meeting recessed at approximately 9:15 PM, to reconvene on April 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM for continuation of budget hearings.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, I want to welcome everyone to the uh April 27th 2026 uh county council or county council special meeting. So it's the budget hearings first evening. And uh want to just advise about the usual procedures that we have and then something a little different for public comment. So we're gonna have the meeting in hybrid format. So we'll have people here in person in council chambers and then also be able to participate via Zoom using computers or their devices. Um we're gonna have public comment accepted uh for a block of time at the beginning of the meeting tonight. And um the comments will be um on anything people want to comment on tonight, uh, hopefully on the on the budget options that we have and budget itself. Um so during uh public comment uh Ms. Madison will be looking on on Zoom to see if there's anyone that wants to make a public comment, and we'll be uh targeting uh 30 minutes for the comment. And um so we'll keep track of the time and uh we'll probably have three minutes allocated. I'll announce that. We'll do a poll to see how many people want to comment before we get started. Um so please make sure you um state your name if you're coming and making comments in person and that you have your name listed on Zoom, so you can be properly addressed. And uh there's been some discussion about how long we're go tonight. Um usually we uh check around nine o'clock with our progress, so we'll planning on doing that again tonight and see where we are in terms of the uh the different department presentations. So with that, I think uh we have actually all counselors present, so I'll just make a note of that for the record. So seven counselors are in person here in the chambers. Um please with that one to item number two, which is pledge of allegiance. Uh so if you're willing enabled, please join us in the pledge. Maybe this will review just okay. So now we'll um go to public comments. So is there anyone in person that wants to make public comment tonight? Not seeing anyone present in person. Is there anyone on um Zoom that wants to make public comment? If you'd like to make public comment, please use the raise hand feature. Chair, I'm not seeing any hands raised. Okay, thank you. Ms. Madison. Uh so now we're on to uh item number four four, which is approval of the agenda. Is there counselor interested in making motion on the agenda? Councilor Cole. I move that we approve the agenda as presented. Second. Okay, so we have motion by uh councillor cole, second by uh councilman Clinton. Um see any discussion. Um can all those in favor um raise your hand. Okay, motion carries uh seven to zero. Um now we're on to item five, which is the public hearing. Uh so we're gonna have start with uh introduction um section. Uh so Ms. Ms. uh Laurent, are you gonna start us off? I am thank you, Chair. I'm just gonna wait for the slides to come up for a minute. Okay, we can go to slide two, please. Um well it's my pleasure to welcome you to the fiscal year 2027 budget hearings. Um just as a little bit of a recall. We do this every year. The county adopts a budget every year, and um we look out uh every other year to the second year.

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