[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6145545,"mediaKeyId","5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118","parentId",5532860,"title","Public commenter urges action on nuclear-weapons risks, cites Los Alamos ties","audioSeconds",142,"startMs",162000,"endMs",304000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118&start=162&end=304","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118/thumbnail_162000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6145545/Taos-County/New-Mexico/Public-commenter-urges-action-on-nuclear-weapons-risks-cites-Los-Alamos-ties","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145545-d5933bdbf7e01a765799cdaf8fce295c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195024&Signature=bjXCeQDVDoLJiPOaZUzhqd7Svgbeq4A7~FJmeLyzkisTNet1oXBU6qDOUEZJCFZ02af2ustHfALlADV2XyOavm9s1yAQzUOG0VsUuiol~~We4kGBkHVYRK-hpQkx8UY7LiNSBS0lfgY4I5pTNNbzBlDT6yFza1TiXpmk3K3ThcO7m0pxR1RNM4xpO2HaTMcOokXmjw21vujfBZqGkknSEEXUDi9D8gx2m8xHs3pPuK4AkCW2YZQMnYgD1kjiWi8KaFzX7jCCEqZjln-X7ySAlqXqAHev~ZuqRjobgvysX7-bQ8xsi015V8DRYy2Y-orMENb9p5LttluoYmDz6QLQng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Taos County, NM","date","2025-08-05T19:17:50.15Z","article","During public comment on July 29, Jean Stevens, who identified herself as a Taos resident, urged the Board of Commissioners to consider the risks posed by nuclear weapons and referenced her participation in related advocacy.

Stevens said she helped organize a Nagasaki commemoration in Los Alamos that would be livestreamed, that she had been to the United Nations in March as a representative of nuclearban.us, and that she left the commission material about a municipal pledge related to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

She told the board she was concerned about possible contamination in past disasters and referenced evacuations during the 2011 Las Conchas fire, adding that some residents had evacuated amid fears of radioactive contamination from activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory. \"I've had to think about leaving Taos because I'm fearful of my safety,\" Stevens said.

The comment was received during the public-comment portion of the meeting; commissioners did not take any formal action in response during the session.

Why it matters: Public comment raised community health, safety and policy concerns associated with the region's proximity to national laboratory activities. The comment was advocacy-oriented and asked commissioners to review information and consider supporting related municipal pledges.

The county clerk will include the comment in the meeting record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commission Special Meeting 7-29- 25","oneSentenceSummary","A Taos County resident urged commissioners to support abolition of nuclear weapons and referenced evacuation fears during the 2011 Los Conchas fire; the commentor also said she represented a U.S. group that attended a United Nations event.","taxTitle","Taos County, New Mexico","taxId",70185,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145550,"Taos County proclaims Aug. 2, 2025, 'Taos Bridal Day' and commissioners note community events",260,110000,370000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118&start=110&end=370","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118/thumbnail_110000.jpg","/articles/6145550/Taos-County/New-Mexico/Taos-County-proclaims-Aug-2-2025-Taos-Bridal-Day-and-commissioners-note-community-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145550-9d92b9346d584eb67e9401e19ed7e023/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195024&Signature=WMT9neqagqHSWu6E9UD8OEm7D45pJhHwjB7~46MsTwwB1cPhoRQ16SVnfo4EXd1OrIr-SS~8SN1Z4IQw-C9Oc4gyEsx-eIka-0P0gl8tK4Iveh~VFjD11FMD-4gQPDp-F~j8kmi1rT8oAfOX~oK0Qshdp9Jv~mwAwIYadmiuvYUBbwhr~xefi7MKbQs40Ma9Pm-XGbYqw6Otg6zCiKKKxLDSJo4lFWXsFM03ihW21UbgOD-qjJwGZosIEAzgEy3g6gANJujSDiu6jO8fiYcnEa85R8pVHA0FubdeCwC-uJYwdoNDhd46bf3olIRRQ7YVEIKqMrUaeBpzGx~V-lLuYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Taos County commissioners on July 29 issued a proclamation declaring Aug. 2, 2025, \"Taos Bridal Day,\" in recognition of the LGBTQIA+ community's contributions and to affirm county opposition to discrimination.

The proclamation'read during awards and recognitions commended the local LGBTQIA+ community for enriching the cultural, social and economic fabric of the region and called for inclusion and safety. \"Taos County stands united against discrimination, hate, and violence, and affirms that all residents deserve to live openly and authentically without fear,\" the proclamation states.

Earlier during the public comment period, Daniela Cervantes, who identified herself as president of Taos Bridal, invited commissioners and the public to weekend Bridal festivities at the Harwood Museum and other venues. \"We're gonna do a lot of tie dyeing and dancing,\" Cervantes said, and she added that the events were especially important this year amid what she described as renewed threats to the community.

Why it matters: The proclamation is a formal recognition from the county and will accompany community events scheduled on Aug. 2; public comments indicated the celebration is part of broader community outreach and safety concerns for LGBTQIA+ residents.

The county clerk's office will include the proclamation in the county records; event organizers said they will share details publicly for those who want to attend.","The Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing Aug. 2, 2025, as Taos Bridal Day, honoring LGBTQIA+ contributions; a public commenter invited the board and community to the weekend'long events and flagged community safety concerns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145555,"Commissioners approve $2.37 million construction contract for sheriff's office improvements, including solar canopy",329,4551000,4880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118&start=4551&end=4880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118/thumbnail_4551000.jpg","/articles/6145555/Taos-County/New-Mexico/Commissioners-approve-237-million-construction-contract-for-sheriffs-office-improvements-including-solar-canopy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145555-54c8c622ac67b82af2ca9794d695a434/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195024&Signature=cR79~0db3mrL5ChmMaGuXUkSSqJs37G16K~iCIUxmVIuWh8vODaN8E9uTVSJoaahCLPUyxkVK-FwsL4dQlu9JfYUwaT24nyvPyiF-jt7Q2Qj3FUo9cOoRGz-a6DhMCDlKjlVTvtrecCQTDwkBTcV6DLWC9PR0nD~sNxiK2oEpQIn5Zs1jL23BCl5MuN8GwfkD2KUdo2a769VBI1rRobzWlklDd6TFJ-gql3~-Yhxq5u6Z5TCwcXr8IDMFy~IycTFTdNNAyBKWi5v2ksBv0LtouqDNuRpSKLD5aE2jtmy8FyesC5r46FJUhdcIN3JA3C2IQLqRxMPVysUuPZgv40DTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Taos County commissioners approved a construction contract on July 29 to complete parking-lot and building improvements at the county sheriff's office, including installation of a solar canopy.

County staff told commissioners the design was performed by Living Design Group and that the contract with R & M Construction is for $2,371,005.65 (exclusive of New Mexico gross receipts tax) with a 120-day construction schedule. The contract was on the consent agenda and was pulled for discussion before being approved by roll call.

A staff speaker said the project will use remaining funds for the law enforcement complex and that some furniture is budgeted from a separate fund. Commissioners asked whether the parking area includes a solar canopy; staff confirmed the project includes solar canopy work on the south side of the building and noted that power will be routed to the building and interconnected with the Kit Carson network.

The motion to approve consent-item 9(a) passed on a roll call. Staff said the contractor was selected under a state price agreement and that bid and contract documents are attached to the agenda packet.

Why it matters: the project affects county public-safety facilities and includes an on-site renewable energy component that county staff said will feed building power and could be tied to vehicle charging or the grid.

Next steps: with the contract approved, staff will coordinate construction start-up and schedule and manage permit and inspection work through the county's facilities and planning teams.","On a consent-agenda item discussed and then approved, the board authorized a contract with R & M Construction for parking-lot and building improvements at the sheriff's office, including some solar canopy work; staff said the contract carries a 120-day construction schedule and uses an existing state price agreement.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145560,"Planning department reports system outage, backlog and steps to restore permitting and addressing services",3451,4899000,8350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118&start=4899&end=8350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118/thumbnail_4899000.jpg","/articles/6145560/Taos-County/New-Mexico/Planning-department-reports-system-outage-backlog-and-steps-to-restore-permitting-and-addressing-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145560-6a6fb8846cfe3a20cb607f4def0e9312/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195024&Signature=bAu2LocTej6pOYD9BUUZdiTo0fqLBYFcTxtHufiZyeZlFetv2BZb65jN0Hgv10Bi--j8jEPefQDYB-sI9dBZrHKeDVv4-0aFJfBytN5N0-pD~yHJG3O3PP6E3sqqiI2pu48jHIU3MdR~IKf6nCy~Z7lnsL5vILfuQvqKeOhsTPcmW0OEM3gYKRmLyNn4Q5GCCHAS1loXBER5kFUoVHz4kAzOo6f5HtUSjUieT5ZqdFhuVXHhyW-jPRgWKGHzchl9PfGpFouZKe-LHxPX7fQtJSBjz-2zsyykWGmFGBpCq1nNrburNBkOh2bQUsmYVUK2ky1lbyVi6BuTRL8zTRWM3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Taos County planning staff told commissioners on July 29 that a prolonged technology outage disrupted permitting, rural addressing and planning commission schedules and that staff are prioritizing critical cases while restoring full service.

\"We were already having a backlog of applications for rural addressing and floodplain review,\" Planning Department staff said. The outage took the department largely offline for about six weeks during the start of the busy construction season; staff said they continued to process building inspections and urgent enforcement actions where possible.

Planning staff described a triage approach: immediate needs such as address assignments for manufactured homes and other time-sensitive occupancy requirements are prioritized, then building permits, business licenses and short-term rental applications. \"Our immediate focus is to enable residents to occupy their homes before the onset of winter,\" the planner said.

Staff said they are preparing a soft launch of the Exela permitting portal. Once the portal is available to contractors and agents, residents will be able to submit applications, track status, request inspections and make payments online. The planning presenter said the county has used the system internally for years and added a payment adapter to allow public-facing transactions.

The department reported 11 current employees and four vacancies. Staff said a certified building official who had been vacant for roughly three years is expected to start mid-month, a permit technician candidate is in process, and the new code enforcement position created in the budget will be posted.

Short-term rentals are an active compliance focus. Planning staff reported receiving 123 short-term rental applications and reviewing 112 to date; 76 permits were issued, with one permit later expiring after property sale. \"We have 75 active permits. That means we have 330 permits left,\" the short-term rental coordinator said, adding that Granicus will host an online portal for applications and enforcement notices.

Staff said they have opened outreach to listing platforms and scheduled a meeting with Airbnb to discuss including a county permit number on listings and removing noncompliant listings if operators do not come into compliance.

Commissioners raised broader concerns about the county's ability to keep critical services functioning if systems go down and suggested exploring memoranda of understanding with partner agencies (for example, town GIS resources) to provide backup access. Planning staff said they already coordinate informally with the town GIS staff and that a formal MOU could help in emergencies.

Why it matters: The planning department issues permits that affect construction, occupancy and emergency response (addressing feeds 9-1-1 mapping). Staff said they expect to be fully operational in the coming weeks and will continue priority handling until the backlog clears.

Planning staff said they will return with periodic updates; they committed to monthly briefings on permitting and short-term rental compliance progress.","Planning staff said a six-week IT outage produced a backlog in rural addressing and floodplain reviews; the department is prioritizing critical permits, preparing a public rollout of an online permitting portal and pressing to fill multiple vacancies.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145565,"Taos County adopts cautiously built fiscal 2025–26 budget after final quarter review",2222,438000,2660000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118&start=438&end=2660","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532860-1a71f12eab9ca619c223818d71673118/thumbnail_438000.jpg","/articles/6145565/Taos-County/New-Mexico/Taos-County-adopts-cautiously-built-fiscal-202526-budget-after-final-quarter-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145565-68cb2b3d881858e54160cd777bf62672/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195024&Signature=fu0MRrudkJ9StvkfmD98QcspqWdkD5yMMeutvnQZMC1pm262AJZFIgDt1jYZJhL0~1gHhjK~Uo5QfxTORF73gzLB2xdug9n7BI2VjU1qHkF5GNJyxZteUfmCOqPSW4i-rkxemtibwanA9w528nB8QgQgFgp7Wj0KDibTUzdKaalYhkoCt-5LbC0ENUTdPgR0kmtfyTc6DShotnKluEWyVX~auEgYn1wzMHsYKFLOYK2BGhPUuTzVSi7gueXZeOmd2BAuywDnOT3O6gAZo5Pj40nexM0zBCBmfRVwZ8MXff~yD7BOJw6WqzFiiO48rkpjy9E3mFQlx29pY0hlxUDyWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Taos County commissioners on July 29 unanimously approved the county's fiscal year 2025'26 operating budget after receiving a final review of the fourth-quarter financial report.

The 5 percent increase in budgeted expenditures over the prior year includes a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for county employees, targeted new positions in the Sheriff's Office, Planning and Zoning and the Assessor's Office, and a $300,000 set-aside for emergency preparedness.

County finance staff presented the fourth-quarter recap before the vote, highlighting that recurring revenues generally met recurring expenses for the year and that the county closed the fiscal year with cash across all funds. \"We ended our year with 16,026,990 in cash,\" finance staff said during the presentation. The presenter also reported a positive net position of $7,404,447.57 at year end.

The review covered core funds including the general fund, solid waste, public works, 9-1-1 dispatch, senior services and the adult detention center. Notable fund details presented: the solid waste fund had higher revenues following a rate increase and closed the year with a positive cash balance; senior programs received ARPA dollars and ended the year with higher-than-budgeted revenues; and public works required a transfer from the general fund because state Title 3 revenues were smaller than expected.

Commissioners discussed multiple operational pressures while reviewing the budget. On the adult detention center, commissioners and staff noted a persistent deficit driven in part by healthcare and payroll costs. A county official said they are \"looking at one of the contractors that may be doing something different, and try to save money\", and that a retreat on the detention center was being scheduled to explore options.

On state-level risks, commissioners raised concern about possible shifts in state Medicaid and other program funding that could increase county costs. Finance staff and commissioners said they took a conservative approach to revenue projections to allow flexibility if federal or state funding changes. The budget materials note a conservative 2 percent estimate for gross receipts tax (GRT) growth and a 5 percent property tax increase in line with assessor valuations.

The board took several formal votes tied to budget procedures during the meeting. A motion to approve a Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) adjustment to fiscal year 2024'25 budgets under New Mexico statute section 6'6'6 passed by roll call earlier in the meeting. Later, commissioners voted to approve resolution 2025'39, the final quarter financial report, and then moved and seconded a separate motion to adopt the fiscal year 2025'26 operating budget (resolution 2025'40). The final budget adoption passed on a unanimous roll call.

Why it matters: The budget sets the county's spending priorities for the coming year and includes pay increases and new positions intended to address long-term staffing and service needs while retaining contingency for state and federal funding uncertainty.

The county will next implement staffing changes and budget allocations during the new fiscal year, and commissioners said they expected follow-up briefings on high-risk funds such as the adult detention fund and EMS billing changes.","After a presentation of the county's fourth-quarter financial results, the Taos County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the fiscal year 2025'26 operating budget, maintaining reserves while adding targeted staffing and a 3% cost-of-living adjustment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenter urges action on nuclear-weapons risks, cites Los Alamos ties

Taos County proclaims Aug. 2, 2025, 'Taos Bridal Day' and commissioners note community events

Commissioners approve $2.37 million construction contract for sheriff's office improvements, including solar canopy

Planning department reports system outage, backlog and steps to restore permitting and addressing services

Taos County adopts cautiously built fiscal 2025–26 budget after final quarter review