Los Alamos County Council Work Session - May 12, 2026
Los Alamos County Council Work Session - May 12, 2026
Introductory paragraph: The Los Alamos County Council held a work session on May 12, 2026 at Fire Station No. 3 in White Rock, with all seven councilors present. The meeting included three proclamations, a briefing from the Transportation Board and the Planning and Zoning Commission, an in-depth traffic safety update, and approval of April 2026 budget hearing minutes. Public comment focused on the impending closure of the maternity ward at Los Alamos Medical Center.
Proclamations and Recognitions
- Motorcycle Awareness Month (May 2026): Proclamation read by Councilor Herrmann and accepted by Richard Sturgeon of the Jemez Riders Riding Club, urging courtesy and awareness for motorcyclists.
- Bike Month (May 2026) and Bike to Work Day (May 14, 2026): Proclamation read by Councilor Herrmann; accepted by Public Works Director Eric Martinez and others. Martinez highlighted the annual energizer station at Diamond and Canyon, the Bike & Roll to School event at Pinon Elementary, and the county's recertification as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community.
- Emergency Medical Services Week (May 17-23, 2026): Proclamation read by Councilor Neal-Clinton and accepted by EMS Division Fire Chief Manuel Pacheco. Pacheco recognized firefighter/paramedic Randall Roblis as 2026 EMS Provider of the Year and Captain Andres Modueno for receiving the Warrior of the Week Award at an active assailant response workshop.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Catherine Bourne, representing the Ducamba Foundation, voiced community anger over the planned June 30, 2026 closure of the labor and delivery ward at Los Alamos Medical Center. She described potential travel times of one hour to Santa Fe or 45 minutes to Española, cited a petition by Nicole O'Daniel, noted the issue could become a PR disaster affecting LANL recruitment, and urged the county to take action against LifePoint Health.
- Nancy Warden, a White Rock resident and grandmother, shared personal experiences of giving birth in Santa Fe (excruciating ride) versus at Los Alamos Medical Center (safe and welcoming), and prayed that labor and delivery services remain in town.
Discussion Items
- Transportation Board Briefing (Chair David Hampton): Hampton presented the board's mission, staffing (full with two new members), and accomplishments including endorsement of a mid-block crossing policy and recommending bicycle work group guidelines for future projects. Councilors discussed the Trinity Drive road diet options (full, hybrid, or none). Hampton stated the board was evenly split among the three options; council ultimately selected the hybrid. Councilor Reagor expressed concern about bicyclist safety in shared lanes and advocated for separate bike infrastructure. Councilor Havemann asked about advancing from Bronze to Silver bicycle-friendly status; Martinez noted infrastructure and education needs. Councilor Cull probed the timing of bicycle work group recommendations relative to the road diet decision.
- Planning and Zoning Commission Briefing (Chair Karen Easton): Easton summarized the 2026 work plan, including the comprehensive plan update (10-year cycle, public outreach with a survey reaching 280 participants), development code amendments, accessory dwelling unit evaluation, parking requirement review, and commissioner training. Councilors questioned density changes, public engagement methods, sustainable growth visions, cleanup of Chapter 16, and RV parking in open space. Staff clarified that zoning and density changes will follow the comprehensive plan's adoption (target end of 2026).
- Traffic Safety Update (Deputy Public Works Director Keith Wilson, Police Chief Dino Sgambellone, and others): Wilson presented seven-year crash data (2019-2025): 8 fatal crashes, 250 injury crashes, over 600 property damage crashes; 8 pedestrian crashes (2 fatal), 26 bicycle crashes (25 injury, 1 property damage). Los Alamos' overall crash rate per 1,000 population is about one-third the state rate; pedestrian crashes are one-fifth to one-sixth the state rate; but bicycle crash rate is slightly higher (0.19 vs.0.14 per 1,000). Top crash factors: inattention (47%), failure to yield (14%), following too close (12%), speed (5%), alcohol (3%). Wilson reviewed multiple ongoing and planned projects: Trinity Drive Safety and ADA improvements (road diet from Oppenheimer to Connect Street, award expected next week, construction June-December 2026); Ashley Pond crowd protection (concrete barriers installed May 16; permanent solution in design for 2027); NM4 crossing and multi-use trail (Hawk signal, side path, bid in June, construction Sept 2026-July 2027); wildlife assessment (kickoff soon; pilot AI-activated flashing signs along golf course area, also considering lighting estimated at $6000,000); NM502 corridor (road safety audit completed, raised medians, intersection control study, rumble strips installation May-June 2026); Diamond Drive/Sycamore pedestrian crossing (data collection underway, recommendation by July); Central Avenue pedestrian crossings (parking removal near crosswalks under discussion with businesses; additional improvements at Oppenheimer crossing); Canyon Road crosswalks (new marked crossing near swimming pool; evaluating further locations); North & Urban intersection (fatal crash; data analysis ongoing; Transportation Board presentation June 4, council June 23); Canyon Rim Trail Phase 3A (design complete, bid in fall); green bike lane pilot on Diamond Drive near Sullivan Field (installed, seeking feedback). Chief Sgambellone reported traffic unit enforcement:50 citations for 26+ mph in first four months; DUI checkpoint with no arrests but three patrol DUIs that week; speed camera update expected in June one citation for wildlife feeding since ordinance; internal Traffic and Road Safety Task Force established; safety education campaign underway using NMDOT's "Look for Me" materials.
- Council Discussion on Traffic Safety: Councilors raised numerous points: interest in "lighter, quicker, cheaper" approaches (plastic bollards, speed tables, experimental closures); concerns about e-bikes on multi-use trails (staff to provide state classification info); desire for tighter left turns; questions about the North & Urban intersection alternatives (not just four-way stop); wildlife collision data accuracy; pedestrian visibility near parking spots on Central Avenue; feasibility of a pedestrian mall on Central between 15th and 20th (bicycle work group recommended modal filtering, not full closure; Transportation Board did not recommend one-way/closure). Councilor Havemann urged faster action on removing parking spaces that block crosswalks. Councilor Reagor reiterated disappointment that a separate bike lane with condemnation option for Trinity Drive has not been fully evaluated. Councilor Cull asked whether the county has an adopted road safety policy like Vision Zero; staff indicated only the Complete Streets resolution exists.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Minutes: Council voted 6-1 (Councilor Reagor abstained) to approve the minutes of the April 2026 budget hearings.
- Traffic Safety Follow-Up: Council discussed potential policy guidance but did not take a formal vote. Staff will continue data collection and bring recommendations on specific intersections (North & Urban to council June 23; Sycamore/Diamond by July). Transportation Board and staff will consider further use of temporary/quick-build measures. No formal tasking was issued to the Transportation Board at this meeting.
- Public Meeting Reminder: Councilor Havemann reminded the public about an NMDOT public meeting on the NM4 alignment study on May 13 at the same fire station.
Meeting Transcript
So I think we're ready to go now. So want to welcome everybody to the uh May 12th 2026 County Council uh work session. And we're here at the fire department in uh White Rock tonight. Uh so tonight's meeting will be in hybrid format, like all of our meetings are. So we have people here in person. We also have people joining us remotely using Zoom. Um so you can use Zoom via computer or other devices. We also have phone lines available. Um so we'll be having couple public comments uh accepted at the beginning of the meeting for items that are not on the agenda. I believe we do have some people interested in making comments tonight during that time. It's coming up very shortly. Um just ask that uh people making comments um limit their time to three minutes or otherwise directed. Um and please address their comments to the chair and focus on whatever issue they want to have considered. Um during public comments, uh Mr. Briel will be looking for commenters uh on uh Zoom. And if you're on Zoom, please uh if you can use your full name soon to properly address, we appreciate that. Um I think the other thing is we want to try to conclude the meeting no later than 10 p.m. Uh tonight. So we'll be checking our progress at nine if we're still meeting at that time. So now we're on to item um continue on item one opening enroll calls. So I think we have actually all seven counselors here in person. So let the record show that all seven counselors are here present at the Farst Nation. Uh then if you were willing and able, uh please join us in the fledge. Wow. Um, for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice or okay. With that, then we're on to public comments. So if you're interested in making public comment, you're present, please uh come up to the table here in the middle, and you'll have to press the uh the button that looks like a person uh on there. So anybody please come forward and just um if you wouldn't mind stating your name and then uh when when you get up to the so the clerk can record your name for the record. Yeah. And make my uh move the microphone a little bit closer. Hi, okay. Uh I'm Catherine Bourne with the Ducamba Foundation, here on behalf of the community who is upset with the closure of the labor and delivery maternity ward in Los Alamos Medical Center. Scheduled to close June 30, 2026. This means that when a person goes into labor, the drive will be one hour to Santa Fe, more in traffic, or 45 minutes or more to Espaniola. On behalf of the community, I would like to thank Nicole O'Daniel for starting a petition regarding Life Point and Marie O'Neal of Los Alamos Reporter for writing the article about the petition and sounding the alarm. But I'm also here as a person who 18 years ago gave birth to my second child in less than 15 minutes. I wouldn't have not made it to the hospital in time if it was that far. Although the closure is a decision of a private company, this county does not control. Our research shows us that there is a tremendous amount the county can do about the situation, and we can discuss those options. They range from pressure tactics to subsidizing a competitor at life point. Um when we think about what a maternity ward costs compare it to what could become a PR disaster. I apologize for framing a roadside childbirth tragedy as a PR disaster, but it's what it would be. It would destroy our country, our county's reputation for a decade. It's a massive liability in Lannel's quest to hire 1300 people and take a moment to consider the financial implications of what it would look like if Lanel had 1,300 fewer employees in one year than it has today. People who simply fed up with the commute, the traffic, the healthcare desert, and the $30,000 helicopter ride the patient has to pay for. The attrition of this one issue alone has a measurable impact, far beyond a few million dollars for a maternity ward. Um in closing, I will say there are things we can do to fight Life Point Health, and we do have the money to do it. We just need to row in the same direction. Thank you for letting me comment.
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