Los Alamos Reporter

Golf Course Investment

BY JOHN ROBERTS

Regarding the golf course improvements and any recreation improvements for this year, is it really such a smart idea to expand and sink money into these improvements? Do they benefit anyone other than golfers? A large portion of the community is against this, and it will only benefit a small portion of our population. Also, it should bring in such a minuscule number of tourists to play, that it shouldn’t even be in the conversation. Not to mention the major waste of water, which will only become increasingly worse. Shouldn’t our money go to the repair/maintenance of our infrastructure and soon to be failing infrastructure. 

I think all of you should honestly ask yourselves these questions. 

  • Are the roads I drive garbage?  
  • Do they look like they have been maintained with crack sealing or pothole repair?  
  • How long have they lasted due to contracting the lowest bidder? 
  • Have I driven on State Road 4 and is the County putting pressure on the State to repair any part of this? 
  • How much longer will the pipes hold up underground and what will happen when multiple start to fail? 
  • Have I seen any power lines and poles being maintained or replaced? 
  • Will our infrastructure last or be reliable much longer? 
  • Is a golf course expansion worth it with these problems? 
  • Is the allocation of our tax dollars going to the places they really should be? 
  • Are the County employees being paid enough to stick around or even consider applying, to be able to manage these repairs fast and thorough enough? 
  • Does it honestly seem we don’t listen to the community? 
  • Do we honestly waste our money? 

I propose that the County Council considers “actually” listening to the majority our population by holding proper voting for this and other large recreation projects. 

I propose the Council “actually” starts investing in our infrastructure repair/maintenance and possible reallocating funds from other parts of the County that are not in dire need for at least one year. 

I propose the Council pay their employees a wage that is livable for this county. A wage that will have them put pride in their work and create an incentive to stay working for the County. Careers that have room for advancement and not creating a mass number of dead-end jobs. 

I propose the Council and the County Manager do better.