Los Alamos Reporter

Endorsement For David E. Hampton For UNM-LA Advisory Board Position 5

Editor,

We have some good candidates running for the UNM-LA Advisory Board Position 5, and top among them is David Hampton. Through engagement in the community and listening to people, he synthesizes good ideas, and represents those ideas in whatever organization he’s involved with.  He’s also really good with budget.

Pre-Covid, I would see David Hampton at the County Council meetings, and although we’re not the same political party, we share many of the same values including commitment to community service.  It could’ve been at one of those Council meetings that we started chatting about local issues, and I mentioned the need for members for the Los Alamos Retirement Community Board (Sombrillo and Aspen Ridge). David said he’d think about it.  He attended the next meeting, impressed the Board with his resume, and we voted him in as an energetic member.  He volunteered to take on the complex task of treasurer, did training with the officials, and now not only pays attention to the LARC Board finances, but works on promoting LARC in Los Alamos.

One of the most important things David Hampton does is to build community.  He’s the one who’s out communicating with people to understand the needs of the community and to see how (in LARC’s case) our facility can meet those needs.  He’s the one who attends public meetings, talks to County Councilors, and represents LARC at different events.

Those who know David know that he will do the same for UNM-LA.  He understands the limitations of the UNM-LA Advisory Board, and that, unlike the School Board who gives direction to LAPS superintendent, the UNM-LA board can only give advice.  But within this Advisory Board role, David will be listening in the community about what it needs from UNM-LA, and will bring this “advice” back to the Administration.  

Having worked with David Hampton on the LARC Board with all the complex regulatory’ legal/budgetary/health/family, and emotional issues of senior care, I know he has the qualifications to support UNM-LA’s strategic goals.  He will:

  • be the good steward of the UNM-LA budget, 
  • use his connections in Los Alamos County to promote the passage of tax levies and general obligation bonds, and to seek creative new revenue streams to complement state funding, 
  • contribute to increasing enrollment by working with regional partners to understand what the students, businesses, and LANL need for a creative workforce, 
  • be diligent in reviewing, revising, and implementing plans each quarter to support the framework for decision-making for the UNM–LA community,
  • and in particular, use his skills to fulfill Strategic Goal Number 1—David is the one who will work to “develop and maintain strong ties with constituents and stakeholders leading to greater participation in higher education within our region and resulting in economic development.”

My vote for Position 5 is David E. Hampton.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 2.  Early voting ends Saturday, October 30.  

For voter information and the League of Women Voters Voters Guide please see https://my.lwv.org/new-mexico/los-alamos/voting-elections

Jody Benson