LAPD patrol units outside Los Alamos County Municipal Building Tuesday evening. Courtesy photo
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Los Alamos Police Department officers in three patrol vehicles responded to an incident Tuesday evening at the regular meeting of the Los Alamos County Council immediately after Council voted 3-3 not to implement a plastic bag ordinance, which has been a contentious issue for more than 10 years in the community.
The 3-3 vote, with Council Chair Randall Ryti, Councilor Beverly Neal-Clinton and Councilor David Reagor against, and Council Vice Chair Ryn Herrmann, Councilor Suzie Havemann and Councilor Theresa Cull voted in favor. Councilor Melanee Hand was absent. The tied vote meant that the motion by Havemann and second by Herrmann failed.
Chair Ryti has called for a break following the vote as it was close to the usual breaktime for Council meetings. Several people had briefly left Council Chambers, when witnesses say Jody Benson, an adamant supporter of the bag ban for many years, lit a cigarette in Chambers, began to smoke it and blew smoke in the face of Joyce Anderson who had earlier spoken against the bag ban. Witnesses told the Reporter that Anderson lifted her cell phone in an attempt to video Benson and there was a scuffle as Benson attempted to take the phone.
Reports indicate that County Manager Anne Laurent spoke to Benson who gathered her belongings and was escorted outside the Municipal Building. Oddly there was no LAPD officer in chambers during the meeting, as for years a uniformed officer has attended County Council meetings and sat in the back row.
The Council meeting continued following the incident and ended shortly thereafter,
Joyce Anderson posted on social media late Tuesday evening that Benson attacked her with a lit cigarette and was escorted out of the building.
“I am uninjured. I did file a police report and I am filing charges against her. This is all I think I am allowed to say about it. I am tired of Los Alamos and all its shenanigans,” Anderson said.
The Los Alamos Reporter has reached out to Chief of Police Dino Sgambellone, County Administration and the County’s public information officer Dave Krueger on the incident and is awaiting a response.