11-21-2024 9:07pm

Alamogordo City Commission Recap

Chris Edwards Editor

A complete recap of the most recent city commission meeting was conducted with much dialogue between commissioner.

After the standard introductions, prayer pledge the commission began with a presentation on homelessness and panhandling by Cory Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt presented an argument that the city should designate a place for the panhandlers in town to congregate, he recommended the City Hall parking lot. The mayor, Susan Payne, agreed with his concerns and emphasized that she is against handouts. She emphasized that the issue of the unhoused has been discussed and discussed and did not offer any real information on options nor solutions.

Susan Hernandez, the acting City Manager reported that they are going to position department leaders at certain meetings to address citizen concerns and drive city leadership to address citizen concerns in a more open format.

City commissioners offered comments with the mayor reminding everyone that Nov 30th is Small Business Saturday and that small business and Alamogordo Mainstreet businesses deserve citizen support.

Alamogordo Mainstreet is up for re-accreditation ans the city supports the effort.

Road conditions and Maintenance Improvements was a topic of discussions.
Staffing and Scheduling changes in staff
Is resuluting in more consistent maintenance efforts and significant improvements to productivity.

The Current Patch Work road system shows that since September 9, 2024, 351 patch needs have been identified.

Approximately 65 of these patches are included in an ongoing SMP Street Maintenance Program project.

Department Contributions: The Utilities Department is averaging at least 11 patches
completed per week, while the Streets Department has set a goal to complete a minimum of 20 patches weekly. Goals are being exceeded.

Concrete Repairs and Technical Standards Updates are being implemented on concrete repairs and the
implementation of new technical standards aimed at enhancing long-term durability is now in place.

Introduction of New Tracking Tool developed by city engineer, Justen Boyle was discussed. He highlighted that it includes visual monitoring and tracks maintenance progress, improving transparency and project management. Ultimately citizens may have more visibility as well as city staff as one of the goals of the project as it is updated, fine tuned and rolls out.

The Acting City Manager said many recent projects wouldn’t be possible without the recent water rate increase.

Updates and considerations on the Fun Center was discussed as outlined in more depth in our recent story linked titled City Proposes Fun Center Modification to Fire Department and Magistrate Court Complex

Options presented to the commission included:

1A. Selling the property with the current restrictions that give the building limited use.

1B. Pay off the bond and then sell it, which would lift the restrictions but would not guarantee it stays a fun center.

2. Rent it, with current use restrictions and no liquor license because that is tied up in litigation with previous tenant. It was noted that even if the liquor license was freed up from litigation the city won’t use it because of the required insurance.

3. City run the fun center, not really feasible because they would have trouble keeping it staffed.

4. Repurpose the building to be a Public Safety Complex which include: Fire station, code enforcement, municipal court, police substation, police evidence, training, MCRT. The city manager thinks this would be the best option because converting it could be subsidized with DOD funding, Stand and Federal grants. This would cost a little over $2 Million but would come from the public safety fund. This would have to be approved by voters so would either be a special election (costs $50k) or can be put on the ballot Nov 2025. To learn more see the story link above.

5. Convert to a recreation center with basketball courts, volleyball courts, pickleball courts, climbing wall etc. Same problems with staffing as option number 3.

It was asked why the previous tenants were not paying fair market value. The response was that it was due to the former planning and zoning director who had "ulterior motives," there have been rumblings of a conflict of interest at the time. The complete deal around the Fun Center since its original design has been racked in inuendos of good ole boy practices that evolved into the debacle that exists today.

The building costs $40,000 a month to payoff the bonds as per the voter approved financing.

Commissioners have suggested citizen feedback is all over the place. Some constituents want to keep it a fun center, other constituents say that the fun center is too far away from town for it to be utilized well and we need something centrally located. The mayor brought up that the movie theater is out there and kids get to that so location is not a valid argument disregarding those economically or transportation challenged. Josh Rardin wants to put it out for bid for someone to rent and then if no one applies then they can pick another option. Sharon McDonald is championing its use use it as a public safety complex that would result in the longer run as saving taxpayers millions. The mayor wants the city to be much more careful, if they rent it out again, so we aren’t in the same situation we are in now. This would require significantly more oversight and a strengthening of contract terms.

It was also mentioned that if an operator does come in, the city has no control over how much the business charges which was one of the major complaints about Rocket City.

The final decision was to send out an RFP (the renting option) and also bring back detailed numbers for the other options if the RFP fails to bring in offers. Offers could be rejected and the option 4 consideration could be given more discussion.

The Indoor Pool structure or the natatorium question that was on the ballot passed, thus $4 Million will be used for a sprung cover with loan to cover the rest as proposal as per nomal major project financing. The pool will be south of the basketball courts near the rec center.

They approved the sprung structure with a cap of $16 million total on the project.

The meeting then adjourned.