BY LWVLA OBSERVER CORPS
Editor’s note: Members of the League of Woman Voters of Los Alamos Observer Corps have been providing LWV members with reports on certain meetings in the County for many years. These reports have been included in the LWV’s monthly newsletter and now, at the invitation of the Los Alamos Reporter, will also be submitted to the Reporter for publication. The video of the full meeting may be seen at https://losalamos.granicus.com/player/clip/4757?view_id=2&redirect=true
LWVLA Observer Corps Report – County Council – May 5
LANL Update; Proposed Charter Amendment; Public-Private Partnership on Affordable Housing; Revision of Temporary Sign Code; Cancellation of EPA Grant for Food Composting
The session was attended by Councilors Randall Ryti (Chair), Theresa Cull, Melanee Hand, Suzie Havemann, Ryn Herrmann, Beverly Neal-Clinton, and David Reagor.
LANL Update
Mark Davis, Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), discussed the Lab’s achievements and future plans. His presentation focused on LANL’s increasing role in plutonium pit production and the related consequences of this mission shift.
Transitioning from Stockpile Stewardship to Modernization
Davis emphasized that LANL remains central to the nation’s strategic deterrence mission, stating that “the heart and soul of the nuclear weapons enterprise is right here in Los Alamos.”
He explained that LANL’s mission has historically focused on stockpile stewardship — maintaining the safety, security, and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile without developing substantially new weapons systems. However, the mission has now shifted toward stockpile modernization, with increased urgency surrounding plutonium pit production.
Davis noted that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has set a goal of producing 80 plutonium pits per year as close to 2030 as possible. Although Savannah River National Laboratory is also expected to contribute to pit production in the future, he said its operational capability is likely still more than a decade away. As a result, LANL is currently the nation’s only active plutonium pit production facility.
Acceleration of Mission Delivery
Davis said the NNSA is focused on accelerating mission delivery and has issued directives to help LANL improve the efficiency and effectiveness of plutonium pit production operations.
He also highlighted the Project Velocity initiative, led by the Department of Energy (DOE), which is intended to streamline approximately 80 DOE orders in support of faster warhead modernization efforts. Davis said LANL is optimistic the initiative will be completed later this summer, allowing the new processes and requirements to be integrated into day-to-day operations.
Electrical Power Upgrade Project and Supercomputers
Davis stressed that the electrical power upgrade project — specifically adding a third transmission line to Los Alamos — is critical for LANL’s future Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives. He noted that the two existing power lines are expected to approach full capacity by 2028, making the additional line necessary to support the enormous energy demands of advanced supercomputers.
Davis said that LANL has collaborated with OpenAI and NVIDIA to deploy AI models on its Venado supercomputer. The Lab is also developing two next-generation systems, Mission and Vision, to expand its future AI computing capabilities.
LANL Workforce
Davis said that LANL experienced a peak in workforce growth in 2023, when the Lab hired approximately 2,500 new employees. He noted that the Lab has since transitioned to a more sustainable staffing level.
According to Davis, the Lab expects to hire between 1,000 and 1,200 employees this year to support modest growth and replace normal workforce attrition, which typically ranges from 800 to 900 employees annually.
Discussion on Housing Needs and Commuter Traffic
Councilor Hand expressed concern about the need for adequate housing to accommodate growth of the LANL workforce. She asked whether Davis felt that enough housing was available and whether the County’s housing initiatives were on the right track. Hand added that “the amount of housing that we’re trying to develop right now is like 1,600 houses that we have currently in the works in some phase or another. … I just wonder … if you think the County is going in the right direction, if we need to ramp it up more.”
Davis acknowledged past concerns about housing but believes the current growth rate is manageable. He noted that the days of 2,000 or 2,500 new employees are past and that the growth over the next several years will be modest, a couple hundred at the most. “When I first got here, pretty much all that was on the minds of the employees was housing, and so I don’t hear that as much anymore. … I do think that what you’re doing is what needs to be done, and so I don’t have the concerns I did a handful of years ago.”
Councilor Havemann raised a related concern about the effect of insufficient housing. She said, “in my opinion, when we don’t have sufficient housing here, there’s ramifications on quality of life, on the environment, carbon footprint, sustainability, traffic safety, time with kids, volunteer hours, wherever people reside.”
Havemann concluded that ” I just hope we could make sure that people have a choice.” She asked Davis whether he had a sense of what percentage of the workforce at LANL would prefer to live closer than they do.
Davis replied that he has talked to a lot of employees about their personal situations. “I think for the most part they choose to live where they want for family reasons, what they’re used to, and being close to people that they care about. So, I don’t often hear a lot of people complain that they want to live in Los Alamos. … I’m sure there are some of them out there but that’s not a big concern that I hear from people.”
Davis said LANL is focused on reducing commuter traffic on “the Hill” by encouraging employees to use alternative transportation options and by improving commuting safety and efficiency. He highlighted services such as buses and van pools as viable alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle travel. He also expressed appreciation for the role of the Los Alamos County Police Department in improving traffic safety through the visible presence of police vehicles along major commuting routes.
Discussion About Skilled Trades
Councilor Melanee Hand raised concerns about the growing demand for skilled trades workers and the impact of competition from LANL on local employers. She noted that LANL’s higher salaries and strong benefits packages make it difficult for small businesses, schools, and local government agencies to retain workers. She said, “we’re losing our resources as you’re building up yours.”
Hand added that the labor shortage also affects subcontractors attempting to provide services to the Lab because many qualified workers are being hired directly by LANL.
Davis acknowledged the concern and said LANL management is sensitive to the issue. He noted that the Lab is competing for skilled workers not only within the local community but also with larger labor markets such as Albuquerque, where many of its skilled workers reside.
Local developer Sam Gardner described the challenges he has faced hiring workers for his subdivision project on North Mesa. He said that at one point he had 30 people working for him but that for the past two years he has struggled to maintain a workforce because LANL offers substantially higher wages. Gardner noted that many of his former employees now earn between $80,000 and $90,000 annually at the Lab, compared with more typical construction industry wages of $40,000 to $50,000 per year.
Councilor Cull asked whether LANL employees could be encouraged to teach skilled trades courses at local institutions such as University of New Mexico–Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico College, citing the need for a welding instructor at UNM-LA. Davis said he would explore whether the Lab could help support those workforce development efforts.
Discussion About Science and Engineering
Councilor Neal-Clinton expressed concern that LANL’s singular focus on plutonium pit production was affecting the community’s identity as a science- and research-driven town. She asked Davis to provide examples of the Lab’s current research and development activities beyond weapons production.
Davis said the issue is also a concern for LANL leadership. He emphasized that the Lab has spent 80 years building its reputation as a scientific leader and a premier research and development institution, and that preserving that legacy and identity remains important even as production responsibilities expand.
He noted that LANL continues to conduct significant work in areas such as nuclear nonproliferation and added that discussions are underway about potential support for Artemis program missions led by NASA.
Discussion About Work Schedules
Councilor Cull asked whether LANL had transitioned to shift work or 24-hour operations. She noted that changes in employee schedules could create new demands for community services.
Davis responded that the expansion of LANL’s operating schedule is currently under discussion. He explained that the Lab traditionally operated on a 4/10 schedule — four days per week, ten hours per day. About a year and a half ago, LANL expanded operations by conducting production activities during daytime shifts while scheduling construction and maintenance work for other time periods.
Davis added that, because of recent discussions with the NNSA regarding increased production requirements, LANL is now considering expanding production operations to a 7/10 schedule. He said the current 4/10 model is approaching its operational capacity limits.
Proposed Charter Amendment
Council introduced an ordinance proposing to amend the County Charter pertaining to term limits for standing boards and commissions. The amended text would allow citizens to serve three terms; the current limit is two terms.
If Council approves the ordinance, the proposed amendment will be put to the electorate for adoption or rejection at the General Election on November 3, 2026.
MOU for Affordable Housing Project
By unanimous vote (7–0), Council adopted a resolution and associated memorandum of understanding (MOU) relating to the development of a workforce housing facility on County Parcel A-8-A (now known as “Coyote Mesa”) on DP Road.
The MOU formalizes the partnership between Los Alamos County and Madrone Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation.
Dan Osborn, Housing and Special Project Manager, said that the project utilizes the nonprofit ownership model to minimize project costs. As a 501(c)(3) entity, Madrone can access tax-exempt bond financing at lower borrowing rates and can operate with significantly lower overhead than traditional for-profit developers.
Revision of Temporary Sign Code
Elias Isaacson, Director of the Community Development Department, provided Council with an overview of issues associated with the County’s temporary sign code.
Problems of the Existing Code
Isaacson reported that staff is receiving ongoing complaints about signs in the public rights-of-way, but the current temporary sign code lacks clear and enforceable standards. The code references signage zones that do not exist, provides no practical way to enforce the 60-day limit, creates confusion between right-of-way and private property sign rules, and does not require removal of outdated signs.
Recommended Option
Isaacson listed options for addressing these issues and requested Council feedback and direction before staff proceeded to draft code amendments.
Isaacson said that staff recommends restructuring the Sign Code to clearly separate regulations for temporary signs on private property from standards specific to signs placed in the public right-of-way. The proposed changes would retain the existing 60-day limit for temporary signs while adding a requirement that signs be removed within two days after that period expires. The amendments would also formally authorize the County to remove signs that are in violation and create a new exemption for temporary signs displayed for only 24 to 48 hours.
The same rules would apply to political signs, local businesses, community events, and youth sports organizations.
Registry for Temporary Signs
Isaacson said that staff are exploring the creation of a temporary sign registry rather than a formal permitting system. Under the proposed approach, individuals or organizations placing temporary signs in approved right-of-way locations would complete a simple online or in-person registration process. The system would generate a registration number that, along with the placement date, would need to be displayed on the sign.
Isaacson explained that the registration system would provide staff with a way to track how long signs have been posted and enforce the 60-day duration limit. Staff believes that combining this system with designated signage zones would significantly improve the County’s ability to manage and enforce temporary sign regulations in the public right-of-way.
Next Steps
Isaacson outlined the next steps in the process, explaining that County staff will draft proposed code language based on feedback received from the Council. The draft ordinance will then be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for formal review and recommendation before being forwarded to the County Council for consideration. The goal is to complete the process by Fall 2026.
Cancellation of EPA Grant for Food Composting
Deputy County Manager Linda Matteson informed Council that the EPA cancelled the anticipated $1 million-plus grant for the County’s food composting program. The decision was largely due to unresolved permitting and lease modification issues involving NMED and DOE.
Matteson said that, although County staff explained the County’s mitigation plans and readiness to move forward, EPA determined the project was not yet shovel-ready. Staff plan to participate in EPA’s debrief process to improve future grant applications and pursue similar funding opportunities once the project is further along.
For more information about activities and membership in the League of Women Voters in Los Alamos, go to https://my.lwv.org/new-mexico/los-alamos