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Council discusses procedural‑rule edits and mentor guidance for incoming councilors and boards
Summary
Councilors reviewed proposed edits to procedural rules covering performance review processes and board/commission document review, and discussed adding a voluntary mentoring suggestion to help onboard new councilors and commissioners; staff will route the draft to the rules working group and to the Board of Public Utilities for feedback.
Councilors used the Sept. 16 work session to discuss proposed clarifications to council procedural rules and to raise several changes intended to support continuity for boards and commissions.
Chair Teresa Cole said she circulated a redlined draft clarifying the process for manager and attorney performance assessments and other editorial updates; she also noted one change requested by Councilor Hand about standardizing the process for reviewing policy documents and plans (included as an Attachment E to the draft rules).
Councilor Hand proposed adding language encouraging voluntary mentoring opportunities — led by the council chair — that would pair current or former councilors with newly elected or appointed members to explain Los Alamos County’s local practices, quasi‑judicial duties, and governance norms. Hand described the change as voluntary guidance to accelerate onboarding and reduce knowledge gaps that are not covered in standard training courses.
Council discussion and next steps:
Members supported refining the draft and asked that the rules working group review the edits and incorporate suggestions. Councilors also said the Board of Public Utilities should review any rule language that affects the utilities manager because the BPU has distinct governance roles; staff will forward the draft to BPU leadership for comment.
Why it matters: procedural rules shape how the council and appointed boards handle policy reviews, quasi‑judicial hearings and performance evaluations; improved onboarding and clearer rules may reduce disputes and speed up board effectiveness.
Action: Chair Cole asked the rules working group to meet and return a revised draft that incorporates council feedback and input from affected boards.
