Latest comments from Andrea

Hi,

Thanks for responding to the retail questions and/or forwarding the email. This process is at a critical juncture and if we are to see any possibilities of retail in Los Alamos, certain steps need to happen. Whatever your retail preference might be (which I am forwarding all emails and votes to the developer), this project, the Trinity Site Redevelopment project ( the county and school land across the street from the Smith’s parking lot that will be cleared for the developer to build a mixed use development which includes retail, entertainment, housing, office, a canyon rim trail with boardwalk and community plaza), is the last opportunity to deve lop land in the downtown area for the types of shopping and entertainment opportunities we currently lack. If this project does not happen there will be no chance of a larger retailer coming to town. What follows is by no means the entire process but the immediate decisions that are being made.



According to Kevin Holsapple of the LACDC and member of the review committee, the first step is:

1. “ The School Board will be considering whether to keep their options open to stay involved in the project at their meeting on
September 12 (next Tuesday). As I understand it, they will be considering a revised joint
powers agreement with LA County. If they approve/accept, it will keep the school's portion of the property in the deal for now
although it will not bind them to whatever Boyer proposes – they would decide on that later based on the merits. If they reject, it
would effectively end consideration of the project for now as availability of the School lands are a key requirement.”

“Please urge the School Board members to keep their options open so we can see what Boyer will be able to come up with. Unless there is an immediate idea for other use of the land, there is no apparent downside to keeping options open.”

“Contact info for Board members and info about their meetings is at http://www.laschools.net/board-of-education.html”



Kevin explained this section so well that I took his quote. It is very important you either email your school board members or go to the meeting on Sept. 12, 7pm, Main Board room, School Administration bldg. (on the Trinity site) to express your support for this project.



The following are email addresses of the School Board Members:

Jim Anderson j.anderson@laschools.net
Loui Janecky loui.janecky@losalamos.com
Morrie Pongratz mpongratz@losalamos.com

Ken Johnson kfjohnson@lanl.gov
Alison Beckman alison@beckman.net
Steve Girrens spgirrens@cybermesa.com



2. The second step is that the County Council will be voting on an ordinance that will fund the bypass road to the Ski Hill and Jemez and the removal of county facilities off of the Trinity Site, from existing Gross Receipts Taxes. There will be no new tax increase to fund the Trinity Site Project. This vote will take place at the Council meeting also on September 12, next Tuesday. It is also very important you either email your Council or attend the Sept. 12 meeting, 7pm, Council Chambers, the Municipal Building at Ashley Pond. The Council email is council@lac.losalamos.nm.us
3. There will be other votes from both entities needed to proceed with the project throughout the planning stages with either the Council or the School Board having the option to back out of the project if it does not benefit them. At this stage, Boyer has offered the Schools $1 million per year for a long period (I think at least 50 years) in lease money to build retail on the land. The County would receive a large increase in Gross Receipts Taxes from the sale of goods in the new retail sector. While it will cost the County and Schools money to move off of the land, the schools will pay no money out of the current budget or future bond money for replacement facilities as the cost will be covered completely by the lease money from the developer. After the new facilities are paid off, the schools can use the extra $1 million per year for operating expenses and/or new schools.



It is important to show your support as there has been opposition to this project from 2 school board members (Loui Janecky and Allison Beckman). I have heard rumors that the United States Postal Service would like to have the school land for a distribution warehouse. Also, on the Council side, all current councilors are in favor but Council Candidates Bob Wells and Skip Dunn are actively trying to stop the project and have started a petition to bring it to referendum in hopes of defeat. They have been giving people incorrect information about the project in order to secure signatures. Bob Wells wrote an editorial this summer that expressed his desire to turn Trinity Site into a Trailer Park instead of a mixed use development.& nbsp; Would you rather have a warehouse, a trailer park or a retail and community plaza at the entrance to town on Trinity Drive across from Smiths? I have seen the latest site plan the developer has presented and it is beautiful. I encourage you to go to the Gordon’s Concert tonight to see the plan and talk to Boyer or to check the lobby of the Municipal Building by Ashley pond to see the posters when they will be up next week. I have extensive information on the project. If you would like more information please feel free to email me. Andrea Cunningham
andreangreg@comcast.net