[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6577776,"mediaKeyId","3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1","parentId",3096475,"title","County clerk says indexing backlog could take up to 10 years in-house; council approves clerk budget but declines one-time funding","audioSeconds",2346,"startMs",462000,"endMs",2808000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1&start=462&end=2808","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1/thumbnail_462000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6577776/New-Mexico/County-clerk-says-indexing-backlog-could-take-up-to-10-years-in-house-council-approves-clerk-budget-but-declines-one-time-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577776-0d9c601d73e3491769b3d3587b087aa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770985921&Signature=JbZMLK7MOYsbW-luhNsZZxgShR15XypuHAVXp3iy3xIKAFzk3CUs3Dcx-JsdxVWIBFYrHs6dKWNmlYwjmFaZev85LwQ9SqfngmEjqPbHlYgtOa7M1zLiqb-G5d507lgtgBFAAN3tXj7FRQsOndEN8pyNAyQ2xW9NgS2FkOyhudag~NeJFZcMiaDYlsGtty5zNZMMqv-qyTGImkCDNbK7NO8JiqZETWgckmnhLptiLJdODwxNb2qdZgLNUuQ8OV20xU-h4Of6j00t-ZVhJhLJXQBRneLQ0toAFFILaAXYQwxHQ5C5yRYWpytdxM70xgnMHbv8cFrgjSXKuf0UIJQrwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Los Alamos County","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","County Clerk Redondo told the Los Alamos County Council on Tuesday that the clerk's office completed digitization of microfiche records but still lacks indexing and redaction that would make older documents fully searchable online. Redondo described the backlog and presented two paths: an outside contractor, estimated by some bidders at hundreds of thousands to more than $1 million, or continued in-house indexing that he estimated could take five to 10 years at current staffing levels.

Why it matters: The documents are public records used for title searches, probate and other legal needs; difficulty finding records increasingly consumes staff time and slows responses to public information requests.

What the clerk said

Clerk Redondo said the office has added electronic public access and has integrated older microfiche images into a searchable system, but that searchability is currently limited to document number or book and page for records recorded before February 2006. \"I'm expecting it to take between 5 and 10 years, probably closer to the 10 year, period\" to index the historical corpus if done only in-house, he said. He said one RFP respondent priced service at \"about a million dollars\" using a per-keystroke model; he also suggested a smaller contract in the $250,000'$300,000 range might be possible.

Staff time, IPRA and redaction

Redondo said lack of indexing increases staff time responding to inspection requests and that some older records sometimes must be manually searched. He described a plan to index documents as they are requested so commonly sought items become searchable first and repeated requests decline. He also noted that certain historic documents may include personally identifiable information requiring redaction. \"Once we have them properly indexed, we will be able to spend less time in requests for these documents,\" Redondo said.

Council debate and vote

Councilors asked about alternatives such as adding casual staff to accelerate in-house indexing; Redondo said a single 20-hour-a-week casual employee could reduce the in-house schedule to about five years and two casuals could accelerate work further. A budget option for outside indexing was discussed but the council voted 6-1 to tentatively approve the clerk's proposed $1,333,520 budget without the one-time indexing budget option. Councilor Hand voted no on removing the budget option and asked that the indexing proposal be kept in the \"parking lot\" for future discussion.

Community context

Redondo noted that New Mexico's changes to veteran's exemption legislation delayed this year's notice-of-value mailing schedule, and described the clerk's role in elections, records, and probate services. He told the council that the office's recent use of a mobile voting unit and state reimbursements offset much of the increased election-year costs.

Next steps

The council directed staff to leave the indexing budget option in the parking lot for further study; Redondo said he will continue to index in house and can return with more exact cost estimates, including options to hire casual staff or await advances in automated tools.

Provenance: Clerk Redondo's presentation and council questions run from the clerk presentation start through the motion and roll call approving the clerk budget without the optional indexing request.

Ending: The county will pursue internal indexing and return with a plan or additional budget request for an outside contract later; the council approved the clerk's operating budget but withheld one-time funds for indexing pending further review.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Los Alamos County - County Council - Special Meeting on 2025-04-22 6:00 PM - Budget Hearings - Continued - Apr 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County Clerk Redondo told the council the office has digitized microfiche but lacks indexing and redaction that would make older records easily searchable; he estimated in-house indexing could take five to 10 years and presented contractor price ranges. The council tentatively approved the clerk's $1,333,520 budget but voted 6-1 to exclude the one-time indexing option and put it in the parking lot for further study.","taxTitle","Los Alamos, New Mexico","taxId",51137,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6577781,"Police propose speed-camera program and new traffic unit; council tentatively OKs budget, parks options for follow-up",3845,4533000,8378000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1&start=4533&end=8378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1/thumbnail_4533000.jpg","/articles/6577781/New-Mexico/Police-propose-speed-camera-program-and-new-traffic-unit-council-tentatively-OKs-budget-parks-options-for-follow-up","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577781-748d5c6d55af2ed3a889d874b068a53e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770985921&Signature=XxKc5OM8JF17-x82XrNnUVi96QJlFt~TFgrK2KtYRM-STr1HUnhT3dklDJt5FADKz76NXOTuyutzofxt01pWjEFEyz93ikWBas6EgXdPuR7jIjHOAlzgxMQoBbw77dlnOC4rEALDZNkCuE838o~ko8Z4B1ifyzhJzBjVr6kh-PACKBAPInKJSgC5VY8JrQioZndUTO5vWtXTfOMJhk7pmW9ApsgG2ZoYE6wetqIzKMl-p5EYs8ho3Zsh8NltVaI-TLiAkKeWtT6mStGKS2F9y~fdfGqLeIWDw~8OwlyAVB-~7-OLXc28PHWeMN0RTcbZ5vZq8KmpHZU48nFfulEcVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Los Alamos Police Chief sought council backing Tuesday for a pilot speed-camera program and two traffic officers as part of the department's proposed $17,226,071 budget. The council voted 7-0 to tentatively approve the overall police budget and placed the camera/staffing options in the budget \"parking lot\" for more discussion.

The chief told the council the department had deployed a speed-display sign on the truck route and gathered data from April 11'20 that recorded 23,938 vehicles passing the device. \"Five hundred eighty vehicles exceeded the speed limit by at least 11 miles an hour,\" the chief said in presenting the sign's log, and he described a separate count showing \"8,313 vehicles\" traveling 56 mph or faster. He said the display sign undercounts vehicles and that a technologically superior fixed camera system would detect more violations.

Why it matters: Councilors and the police chief framed the proposal as a traffic-safety measure aimed at reducing high-speed crashes on a road corridor with a history of serious collisions. The council approved the department's base budget but asked for more detail and operational planning before committing to recurring equipment or staffing increases.

Details of the proposal and debate

The chief proposed a package that combined fixed cameras at problem corridors, a mobile enforcement component and two outfitted traffic patrol vehicles with dedicated officers. He said implementation would require vendor contracts and that some vendors charge per-camera monthly fees while performing citation mailings and other back-office work. \"An officer still has to view each violation,\" the chief said, describing the planned officer review and validation step before a citation is issued.

Councilors raised staffing and enforcement questions: with about 10 current vacancies in the department, several councilors asked how new traffic positions would be filled, whether the department could maintain daily patrols and how unpaid citations would be handled. The chief said some vendors provide administrative support including mailings and that historical experience in other New Mexico jurisdictions shows most cited drivers eventually pay or address the citation through the established process.

Federal partner and public comment

Ted Wieker, Los Alamos National Laboratory's federal manager for the lab (Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration), told council he supported the police proposals. \"DOE/NNSA supports the Los Alamos Police Department and its efforts to improve traffic safety across Los Alamos County as well as the lab,\" Wieker said, adding that many employees report commuting as their most hazardous daily activity.

A resident who survived a serious crash urged the council to act. \"Nobody likes a citation, but nobody likes to see someone they know and love ' be injured or die in a crash that could be prevented,\" Maura O'Neil told the council.

Next steps and votes

Councilor Reiting moved to tentatively approve the police department budget including the three budget options that would fund cameras and the traffic unit; the motion was seconded and carried 7-0. Councilors also agreed to place the camera and staffing options in the budget parking lot for additional review of vendor terms, operational details, staff capacity and a community notification/education plan before final action.

Provenance: The police chief's presentation, the council's questions and the DOE and public comments appear in the meeting record between the police presentation beginning at the \"Good evening, madam chair, councilors\" block and the motion and roll call later that night.

Ending: The council's tentative approval lets the department begin planning and vendor outreach, but the eventual decision on speed cameras and permanent traffic staffing will return to the council after further staff analysis and community outreach.

","Los Alamos Police Chief sought council backing Tuesday for a pilot speed-camera program and two traffic officers as part of the department's proposed $17,226,071 budget; the council tentatively approved the overall budget 7-0 and moved the camera and staffing options to a \"parking lot\" for further study.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6577771,"Public Works outlines CIP, lists 13 capital projects and flags out-year funding uncertainty",2488,9073000,11561000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1&start=9073&end=11561","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1/thumbnail_9073000.jpg","/articles/6577771/New-Mexico/Public-Works-outlines-CIP-lists-13-capital-projects-and-flags-out-year-funding-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577771-1bf33843076268866d4f32d36b4aa367/orig.mp4?Expires=1770985921&Signature=bQ5x9yYhKgyUcTcavsAODiimF2JttUm1oln8zuRJGGiFTGUWaBwddzlmPCIU4tG0hQ-CdBuIQ12GmSueTPLNQRtGcIQkT-smUNnZbZ87Tnd1tMobH6aYpQ-51c3bepFv1xBuhZ9R27-r8yearznJc4mEkhRk2-5TFC-lH1Lx6iFHhhEGKqJX7QSfrnGmZ7ZX1fpr5~Kl~XUKF-HIyaUQFIg4yW7MhSglTvLgJVLoDKDu1xyAAmZuDWEACWnll~GMUrCRr4DVuNybTP0TzDaA1N8Xd68lvRA5GwQjmpdyf1PziqbixfJvq-JsYDXQaCYop3PIvMAk711WFQ-gjZ-nwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public Works Director Eric Martinez presented the department's proposed fiscal 2026 capital improvement plan Tuesday, outlining 13 near-term projects across streets, trails, facilities and airports and highlighting funding sources, grant applications and program timelines.

Why it matters: The CIP determines which infrastructure projects move forward in the near term and how the county allocates limited capital dollars; Martinez warned that out-year project capacity will depend on grant success, debt schedules and available general-fund transfers.

Key items and program structure

Martinez described a program-based budgeting approach that groups projects into nine divisions and funds them from both the general fund and enterprise funds (airport, transit, environmental services). Notable projects and items in FY26 include:
- White Rock Visitor Center: completion of site improvements and addition of food-truck pads.
- Trinity Drive safety improvements and Canyon Rim Trail phase 3: transportation projects with significant design and grant activity.
- Airport: new fuel-farm operations are moving into the FY26 operating budget to account for aviation fuel purchases and sales.
- Community Services: ice rink reconstruction (new chiller already scheduled), playground and trailhead improvements.
- A proposed $1 million sustainability allocation to allow departments to use sustainable options for routine maintenance or upgrades.

Grants, carryovers and out-year planning

Martinez and finance staff said many large CIP items are grant-funded or rely on outside-sourced federal and state grants, particularly in transit and engineering. Councilors pressed for clarity on out-year projections: the proposed CIP shows a substantial drop in programmed capital spending beginning in FY27. Staff explained the drop reflects a conservative approach to out-year commitments and the fact that many projects are still funded in existing multi-year allocations (carryovers) rather than newly programmed work.

Stormwater/M.S.4 budget option

Public Works included a budget option to fund consultant work for an initial stormwater management plan in response to a possible Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (M.S.4) designation. County attorneys and staff said a federal notice of potential designation was received and the county responded; the designation did not include an implementation timeline. Martinez said the county intends to document its existing stormwater activities and prepare a plan in case the designation proceeds.

Next steps and council direction

Councilors asked for periodic updates on grant status, tariff and construction-cost impacts and a clearer projection of how the county will cover capital needs if grants or anticipated revenues do not materialize. Martinez said staff will continue project-level budget management, pursue grant funding and return with updates as projects progress.

Provenance: Martinez's CIP presentation and council questions ran from the public works presentation start to the budget-motion roll call.

Ending: The council tentatively approved the public works proposed budget and the M.S.4 planning option; many capital projects will advance only as grants, carryovers and available capital are confirmed.

","Public Works Director Eric Martinez presented a fiscal 2026 capital improvement plan on Tuesday that funds 13 near-term projects across streets, trails, airport and facilities and proposes a $1 million sustainability fund; staff also flagged uncertainty in out-year capital capacity and proposed consultant funding for a potential EPA M.S.4 designation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6577766,"Votes at a glance: Council tentatively approves departmental budgets in FY26 continuation meeting",8002,385000,8387000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1&start=385&end=8387","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096475-52d966b8e1462f32aefe76e8703c7ca1/thumbnail_385000.jpg","/articles/6577766/New-Mexico/Votes-at-a-glance-Council-tentatively-approves-departmental-budgets-in-FY26-continuation-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577766-79b3af8c4cd38da626f4439d76305bf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770985921&Signature=RTf7OC4fmrhtHowt2yJZIJYRfo9NuOtnsU8T9MX8TWvwaca0Zql5xlyPrkNjsUshTlGk2yewb4Le8Q-~SwElkbj5imC2TwbPBDOdv8VzLvGU09DE5SQLV1SE3rezxuxelEYg1GU63KCELrS240qrCXdTuwQg-l8VyhtjLe86Q0dlj1953LWICUdtleG9nalbyWrxqu33joN0tz0Jmx3vKX~jzjaFB6FndMWbZfRe5QsQwRTFvD8FwQF~e0PMz90vY73vjlAPS28vBQ21D6m3qk9OoShDflNfYbnAMKFRZSB7SNa2qPlhFuFMa7O7gn1adJfJCJJv76MqLkgWjy2P3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Los Alamos County Council held a continuation of the FY26 budget hearings on April 22 and took tentative votes on multiple departmental budgets. The following is a concise \"votes at a glance\" summary of motions taken during the meeting, with motion text, mover/second, roll-call tallies and immediate outcomes as recorded on the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance

1) County Assessor
- Motion: \"I move that council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the county assessor in the amount of $1,041,212.\"
- Mover/Second: Motion recorded as moved by Councilor Neil Clinton and seconded by Councilor Habman (per the roll-call statement in the record).
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes.

2) County Clerk
- Motion: \"I move that council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the county clerk in the amount of $1,333,520.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Reedy moved; Councilor Neil Clinton seconded.
- Vote: 6 yes, 1 no (Councilor Hand opposed). Motion passes; the one-time indexing budget option was excluded and placed in the parking lot for later discussion.

3) County Sheriff
- Motion: \"I move that council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the county sheriff in the amount of $17,762.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Herman moved; second by Councilor Ham.
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes.

4) Municipal Court
- Motion: \"I move the council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the County Municipal Court in the amount of $909,443.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Hand moved; second by Councilor Herrmann.
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes.

5) Probate Court
- Motion: \"I move the council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the county probate court in the amount of $8,496.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Hannon moved; second by Councilor Veil Clinton.
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes.

6) Fire Department
- Motion: \"I move that council [tentatively] approve the proposed budget for the fire department in the amount of $56,472,166.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Nell Clinton moved; Councilor Wright seconded.
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes.

7) Police Department
- Motion: \"I move that council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the police department in the amount of $17,226,071 and budget option items 8, 9 and 10.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Reiting moved; second recorded.
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes. Council also agreed to move the specific budget options (cameras and staffing) to the parking lot for further discussion and planning.

8) Public Works
- Motion: \"I move that council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the public works department in the amount of $69,297,959 and budget option number 12.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Haberman moved; Councilor Veil Clinton seconded.
- Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. Motion passes.

9) Non-Departmental (including debt service and ARPA allocations)
- Motion: \"I move that council tentatively approve the proposed budget for the non departmental in the amount of $10,363,787.\"
- Mover/Second: Councilor Hammond moved; Councilor Neil Clinton seconded.
- Vote: 6 yes, 1 no (Councilor Reagor opposed). Motion passes.

Notes on procedure and next steps

All approvals above are recorded as tentative in the transcript of the budget continuation meeting; council indicated some items (notably police camera/staff options and the clerk indexing option) would be revisited in the parking lot and before final budget adoption. Council also requested follow-up data and planning from departments on staffing, grant status and vendor terms before authorizing recurring expenses or contracts.

Provenance: Each motion, roll call and final tally is recorded in the meeting transcript during the department presentations and ensuing votes.

","At a continuation of Los Alamos County's FY26 budget hearings the council tentatively approved multiple departmental budgets after presentations and public comments. Key votes included assessor, clerk (without optional indexing), sheriff, municipal court, probate, fire, police (with options parked), public works and non-departmental items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County clerk says indexing backlog could take up to 10 years in-house; council approves clerk budget but declines one-time funding

Police propose speed-camera program and new traffic unit; council tentatively OKs budget, parks options for follow-up

Public Works outlines CIP, lists 13 capital projects and flags out-year funding uncertainty

Votes at a glance: Council tentatively approves departmental budgets in FY26 continuation meeting