Council approves dog-club lease, water loan, PERA pickup and pool contract; votes at a glance

Los Alamos County Council on May 20 approved a set of ordinances, a pension resolution and a services contract covering a range of local matters, from a lease for a dog obedience club to financing for water-line replacement and pool restoration.

The actions were taken during the regular meeting in chambers and via hybrid participation; every recorded formal vote listed below passed unanimously or by an affirmative roll-call tally as shown.

Why this matters: the votes set near-term spending and contract actions (including a $2.7 million loan package and a $1.4 million pool contract) and finalize a pension contribution pickup that affects municipal fire employees beginning FY 2026.

Key votes (summary) - Ordinance 7-42 — Lease to Los Alamos Dog Obediance Club, Inc.: Adopted (7–0). The five-year lease would continue the club’s use of county land behind the animal shelter with changes to the leased area and rent terms, and requires publication in summary form upon passage.

- Ordinance 7-41 — Loan and subsidy agreement with New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) for Denver Steels waterline replacement (phases 2 and 3): Adopted (7–0). The county authorized a loan-and-grant package totaling $2,727,000 (loan $2,102,000; grant $625,000) for the utility improvements.

- Resolution 25-09 — PERA pickup for municipal fire plan 5: Adopted (7–0). The council authorized the county to “pick up” 5.42% of employee PERA contributions for covered members for FY 2026 and thereafter, consistent with state changes discussed in collective bargaining.

- Services agreement AGR25‑922 with Leisure Pools Inc. (aquatic center resurfacing): Approved (7–0). Council authorized a services agreement not to exceed $1,404,762.43 plus applicable gross receipts tax and established a project budget of $2,000,000 for pool resurfacing and restoration; construction is planned for March–October 2026.

- Board of Public Utilities appointment: Eric Stromberg was appointed by roll call (7 votes) to fill the BPU vacancy for a term beginning July 1, 2025.

Meeting context and process: Each action above was moved and seconded on the council floor with debate or staff briefings preceding the votes. The council used roll-call voting for ordinances and the appointment process where required; no item failed.

What the motions said (examples) - "I move the council adopt incorporated County Of Los Alamos ordinance number 7 42, an ordinance to lease certain county owned land to the Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club, Inc. I further move that upon passage the ordinance be published in summary form." (Motion text as entered into the record.)

- "I move the council adopt incorporated county of Los Alamos ordinance 7 4 1, ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of a loan and subsidy agreement by and between the incorporated county of Los Alamos and the New Mexico Finance Authority, NMFA, in the total amount of $2,727,000 for the purpose of financing the costs of phase 2 of phases 2 and 3 of the Denver Steels waterline replacement project. I further move that upon passage, the ordinance be published in the summary form." (Motion text as entered into the record.)

Votes at a glance (tallies) - Ordinance 7-42 (LA Dog lease): yes 7, no 0, abstain 0 — outcome: approved - Ordinance 7-41 (NMFA loan/subsidy): yes 7, no 0, abstain 0 — outcome: approved - Resolution 25-09 (PERA pickup): yes 7, no 0, abstain 0 — outcome: approved - Service agreement AGR25‑922 (Leisure Pools): yes 7, no 0, abstain 0 — outcome: approved - BPU appointment (Eric Stromberg): roll-call appointment, highest vote total (7) — outcome: appointed

What to watch next: several of these items tie into county capital planning. The waterline financing and the pool project both appear in the county’s capital improvement plan and will move to procurement and construction phases with separate project oversight and community notices.

Notes: Motions and exact quoted motion text were taken from the meeting record. Vote tallies are the roll-call results recorded in the official minutes.