Around the Area

After more than four hours of discussion, the Los Alamos County council adopted a budget for FY2014.

During the evening's discussions, council added $378,565 to the $185.9 million proposed by staff.          

The additions included $93,000 for community services. Council took out proposed reductions to Senior Center services, Youth Activity Center operations and the summer concert series. They also voted to fund Bear Camp at the current level and added $40,000 to the budget for Cooperative Extension Services in order to fund the home economics position at a three quarter time level.

Council also transferred $300,000 from the general fund to the FY2014 indigent healthcare fund budget in order to maintain basic services. A more in depth discussion on how to address reduced revenues and increased demand on the indigent fund is scheduled for April 30.

The only reduction to the proposed budget was  $15,000 from the county council's budget for contractual services.

After considerable discussion, council voted to adopt proposed budgets for Progress through Partnering, transit and the lodger's tax fund without alterations.

Look for more details in Thursday's Los Alamos Monitor.

New Mexico highway crews set up floodlights along NM502 in preparation for pilgrims walking to Chimayo. Although the greatest number of pilgrims walk on Good Friday, pilgrimages take place year round, particularly during Lent. A large number of pilgrims walk at night on Holy Thursday. Law enforcement stops drivers at this spot a mile down NM502 to remind them to watch for walkers and to keep an eye out for impaired drivers.

A portrait of Gen. Leslie Groves is now hanging in the Los Alamos Historical Museum. The portrait was donated by Groves' son, the late Gen. Richard Groves, and Richard’s children. The family decided to donate the portrait to the museum after the sculptures of General Groves and Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer were dedicated in May 2011.

The portrait was painted by Artist Albert Murray, who has been called “the greatest of all American portrait painters after John Singer Sargent.” Murray's work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, and the National Museum of American Art.

The official unveiling will be part of Los Alamos National Laboratory's 70th anniversary celebration, 3 p.m. April 5 at the Betty Ehart Senior Center.

The Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities voted unanimously on Wednesday to endorse an increase in sewer rates proposed by the Department of Public Utilities.

The hike is necessary to cover the costs of repairing and replacing the 50- to 60-year-old infrastructure. The proposed ordinance increases overall sewer rates but also simplifies residential customers’ bills to a restructured flat fee every month. It removes the variable rate that is based on the amount of potable water consumed during winter months. The ordinance also includes continuing annual rate increases of eight percent for the next four years beginning in June 2013 to meet the critical future capital expenses of the sewer collection and wastewater treatment systems.

Commercial customers will continue to be charged a variable rate, but under the proposed ordinance these customers will pay the $7 customer fee in lieu of the previous fixed rate. The commercial variable rate will increase from $5.89 to $11.91 and will be based on the winter average of potable water consumed with a minimum 2000 gallons or other measuring period as determined appropriate by the DPU based on seasonal or other non-traditional water use patterns. Commercial customers’ rates will also rise by 8 percent a year through 2016.