BY KEVIN HOLSAPPLE

I hear that selection committees are working and that there is an applicant forum this week, so it seems like a good time for the community to reflect on the question of what the person who will become the new County Manager next spring needs to be like for the future we want to see for our community.

What am I hoping for in the choice of the next Los Alamos County Manager?  Yes, I want a competent day-to-day administrator with a track record of success and a strong understanding of local government, public budgeting, finance, and the needs of their community.  But I want and I think we need much more than that.  The willingness, interest, and ability to engage with, listen to, and act upon broad public input is a foundational attribute for the next County Manager.  

We need to reverse what I see as a trend of gathering public input just to check a box that says, “Was public input gathered?” and ignoring plans developed with broad public backing once they have been completed, celebrated, and put on a shelf.  We have all the plans we need and they say a great deal about what the community wants our future to be.  I am hoping the new County Manager will focus their staff’s attention and efforts on implementing the plans we have rather than rewriting or continuing to create new ones.

In the most recent National Community Survey commissioned by Los Alamos County, 73% of residents identified “enhancing support and opportunities for the local business environment”  as the single highest priority identified for Los Alamos County Government in the next five years.  I agree with this community sentiment and I want to hear the applicant’s ideas and the approach they will take to addressing this priority.  I am hoping to hear the following kinds of things in response:

• The new County Manager will regularly take the time to understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by local businesses in Los Alamos County. This should be part of a cultural change within the County staff aimed at looking for opportunities to assist local businesses in every project and activity undertaken.  There is no reason not to look at every County project through the lens of, “how can this project enhance support and opportunities for the local business environment.”
• The new County Manager will make it a priority to work on streamlining code requirements, regulations, and how they are enforced to make them less of a burden and easier to follow and adhere to.  Inspectors and code enforcement staff will be expected to try to help resolve issues in a business-friendly manner.
• The new County Manager will make it a priority for county departments and major subcontractors to purchase goods and services from local businesses. There should be a periodic training and trade fair for county staff and major subcontractors on what is available locally and how to source goods and services from local businesses.
• The new County Manager will seek public input and propose more effective and proactive approaches to the use of available tools such as the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) to help local businesses access alternative capital for starting and improving their business.  Processes should be straightforward and there should be a clear timeline for action on responding to applications.
• The County Manager will seek public input on ideas to enhance the positive effects of its economic development and tourism subcontractors
• In the past, the County indicated that it would establish a local business advocate within its community and economic development function.  This idea should be fulfilled by assigning existing staff to that responsibility and having them regularly communicate with the Council and the public about the direction and progress of their efforts.  This will help keep the focus on enhancing support and opportunities for the local business environment

Our new County Manager should be a proactive advocate for local businesses in our community.  I look forward to hearing the applicants’ ideas for how they will go about it and I hope it will be a major factor in the selection process.