9-24-2024 1:38pm

Alamogordo City Commission Meeting Tuesday, City Manager History 7 Resignations in 10 Years

Chris Edwards Editor

The City of Alamogordo Commission will be meeting in regular session on Tuesday evening at 6:30 with a small agenda published.

There a City Commission meeting is tonight at 6:30 PM in the Donald E. Carroll City Commission Chambers at City Hall. Citizens are welcome to attend in person, or can view the meeting livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/@CityofAlamogordo/streams

The Commission Meeting Agenda is available here: https://alamogordonm.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2920/files/agenda/3554

After the public meeting they go into private special session to discuss the litigation pending with Downtown Ventures which is the company responsible for the failed bowling alley under lease with the City of Alamogordo.

Locals following this story will recall KALHRadio.org and AlamogordoTownNews.org broke the story almost a year ago on 11-30-23, as a blow to local entertainment when Downtown Venture Corporation of California, the operator of Rocket City Fun Center made the decision to withdraw from the Alamogordo market and close the fun center via a social media post with no prior warning to the city of Alamogordo.

Given litigation is ongoing, the meeting concerning the Fun Center and Downtown Ventures is closed door.

The elephant in the room this commission meeting is the reality that the City Manager Rick Holden resigned unexpectedly on Thursday under protest.

The city has yet to respond with any official public comment on whether the departure other than to confirm "it did occur," and they are gathering documents for us in compliance with our IPRA requests.

The mayor is expected to make a statement around the issue at tonight's city commission meeting.

A source within the city administrative offices said to expect a few commissioners to go on the defense, and to attack this media outlet, for reporting Holden's departure. The insider said elected officials are in tizy to find out who is leaking information around the circumstances reported as the "alleged reasoning for his sudden and unexpected resignation," given, no official statement.

Multiple city employees have emailed or texted statements of outrage and frustration and sadness in support of Mr Holden, wishing he would reconsider. A few hold out that he and the city could compromise on a resolution for him to return.

Many comments forwarded to us spoke of fear of reprisals in speaking out in public in support of Mr. Holden.

As news spread of his departure it dampened the confidence and the mood of many paid civil servants, within the city that felt, Mr. Holden was fair and providing stability, support and a level of professional leadership sorely needed for over s decade.

(Note in a prior story 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)

History of City Managers and Political Gamesmanship

The position of city manager for Alamogordo is a position that the commissioners have struggled with and city services and vision implementation has suffered as a consequence.

The City managers position has been ripe with controversy over the last decade...

In 2016 the City of Alamogordo announced they were in the preliminary stages of negotiating a contract of employment with the controversial former City Manager Robert Stockwell. Stockwell was the City Manager for Alamogordo from 1992 to 1997. According to a July 11, 1997 around published in the Alamogordo Daily News, the City Commission voted five to one to oust Stockwell. Stockwell had called out the police chief at the time for showing favoritism and pulling tickets per reports at the time via the Alamogordo News and the Des Moines Register.

Then in November 2016 Alamogordo suspended a search for a city manager.

"City Commissioners suspended the search for a permanent city manager for at least six months. This newest direction comes after City Commissioners voted 4-3, failing the motion to hire Robert Stockwell as city manager in September," as reported in the Des Moines Register.

Ultimately, the motion to hire Stockwell was put forth by then Commissioner Al Hernandez and seconded by then Commissioner Baldwin. The City Commission voted 4-3, Commissioners Jenny Turnbull, Erica Martin, Susan Payne and Mayor Richard Boss voted against hiring Stockwell.

At the time and in classic Alamogordo Politco speak "We decided to suspend the search temporarily," said Mayor Richard Boss. "Maggie (Paluch) has been the acting city manager for about six months and we decided that she will be the acting city manager for at least another six months. There's some reasons for that that I really cannot go into detail on."

Then Maggie Paluch was appointed to serve as permanent City Manager. And yet, again became embroiled in political scandals and a call for her resignation. In reporting by Nicole Maxwell for the Daily News it was reported that:

Then, commissioner Al Hernandez had called a special meeting in order for the commission to discuss the concerns of the citizens and concerns that he had with Maggie Paluch's leadership.

Alamogordo residents called for Paluch’s suspension or termination following the suspension of Alamogordo Police Chief Brian Peete.

Peete was suspended for 10 days in January following the submission of a letter he sent to Alamogordo Mayor Richard Boss and the city commission in December.

“Months ago, I have spoken to the city manager with concerns of her behavior, and the behavior of the city attorney, as it relates to unprofessional relationships with subordinate employees, how those relationships affect perception and that they have given rise to allegations of preferential treatment,” Peete’s letter dated December 21, 2018 states.

Susan Payne, City Commissioner for District 3 at the time said, she was sorry to see Paluch go.

"I'm disappointed. I thought she was a phenomenal manager and I'm really disappoint and I think that ... she did a lot of amazing things for this city, and I have no doubt that what she does in the future she is going to be great at it," said Susan Payne.

Prior to her departure the City of Alamogordo had three city managers in the last four years prior.

In August 2015 former City Manager Jim Stahle resigned. Then former City Commissioner Dr. George Straface was appointed interim City Manager in October 2015. Straface resigned in May 2016. Paluch stepped in as acting City Manager at that time until she was named permanent city manager in July 2017 and left under pressure in 2019.

On Feb. 26, 2019, Brian Cesar after Paluch's departure was appointed as the City of Alamogordo interim city manager. After an executive session during the regular Alamogordo City Commission meeting Sept. 24, the commission voted to appoint Cesar as city manager. However classic to Alamogordo politics that vote was deemed legally invalid since the agenda did not state that any action was to be taken on the city manager's position at that time.

However, on Oct. 8, 2019, Cesar's new job title became official as the commissioners followed proper procedures and regulations to approve Cesar as City Manager.

Cesar served well until May 11, 2023 when he suddenly announced his retirement after 25 years as a city employee. Stephanie Hernandez then was appointed to serve as interim city manager.

Rick Holden who unexpectedly resigned on Thursday, was a former police officer, worked with the U.S. Air Force, and the Fort Worth health department, and a city manager of Cleburne Texas. Upon retiring from Cleburne Mr. Holden assisted the small Texas town of Alvarado as an interim city manager and eventually a permanent city manager. He retired and then almost a year ago accepted the position in Alamogordo.

AlamogordoTownNews.org will release the results of our IPRA requests around his resignation as they are received. Stay tuned..