City Manager Rick Holden Unexpected Resignation Allegedly Due to Conflict with Two Commissioners

Several staff members of the city of Alamogordo have reported to 2nd Life Media the unexpected resignation of City Manager Rick Holden allegedly under protest due to a dispute over the tone of an email sent to certain individuals within the city leadership. Unconfirmed reports state that an escalation accured between Commissioner Rardin, another commissioner and Rick Holden with his immediate resignation. 

(Note Oct 3, 2024 Update- AlamogordoTownNews.org alleged that Commissioner Rardin was involved in the meeting that resulted in the resignation from of Holden, the correct commissioner was Mark Tapley. We regret the error)

AlamogordoTownNews.org has sent an IPRA request and a request for a statement to the city clerk and city attorney requesting copies of documents related to the resignation and for further details to be made to the public.

Mr. Holden has shaken up city management with his hiring; as a no nonsense results oriented manager, who is less interested in political gamesmanship than making upgrades to the city. Infrastructure improvements, police improvements and basics of city services has been his priority with a significant review of old outdated and good ole boy agreements being targeted for review. 

Holden as an outsider to Alamogordo had shaken up processes and policies and has been a thorn to some Alamogordo circles of power. 

Holden, who moved from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to Alamogordo, had served as the city manager in Alvarado, Texas between 2018 and 2020 before retiring. Holden was city manager in Cleburne, Texas, before that from 2011 to 2015. Both cities were high growth areas.

This is an evolving story with AlamogordoTownNews.org awaiting an official release from the clerk or city attorney. 

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