The City of Alamogordo City Commission Hosted Day 1 of Public 2026 Budget Workshops Monday Evening

With a full house of city department leadership in the Alamogordo City Hall Chambers the community 2026 budget workshops began Monday night at 530 pm. The purpose of this first session of public meetings was to educate the commission and the public on highlights from last year and present a vision and budget needs for next year by department. 

On Monday departments presenting included the Municipal Courts, Planning and Zoning, Airport, Community Affairs, Library, Senior Center, Tourism, Zoo, Bonito Lake Campground, Golf Course, Parks, Recreation Center, Animal Control, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), Code Enforcement, Police Department, Fire Department, Facility Maintenance, Fleet Maintenance, Streets, Convenience Center, Engineering, Landfill, Utility Maintenance, Water Production, and Water Reclamation.

On  Tuesday, May 6 at 5:30 p.m. the Alamogordo City Commission will be presented with the complete Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, which outlines the City’s financial plan and departmental priorities for the upcoming year. 

Per Chapter 12 of the New Mexico Municipal League states that the city budget is a financial document that is a statement of municipal policy. The budget process is thought of as a financial activity done to satisfy state law; however, it is also the process of planning for the future.

The purpose of a budget is to establish the spending priorities of the municipality as established by the governing body being the elected city or county commission, to maintain a balance of expenses with revenues, to set a standard for judging actual performance in comparison to planned performance, and to provide for evaluation of financial needs.

A municipality cannot implement any project, program or plan without a formally adopted budget that authorizes the appropriation and codifying the budget into sn ordinance by a vote of the governing body or commission. Consideration by the elected governing body is to be given to all of the departments, programs and services provided by the municipality to determine whether or not there are sufficient resources to continue, maintain, expand or reduce those services.

Every municipality must prepare a preliminary budget for the coming fiscal year and submit it to the Local Government Division no later than June 1 of each year. Local Government Division requires that a final proposed budget be submitted to them no later than July 31 of each year, which allows the municipal finance officer time to find out what the June 30 year end balance is. The Local Government Division then approves an interim budget which was voted on by the elected commission which the municipality can operate until the final budget is approved. State law requires Local Government Division to grant approval no later than the first Monday in September.

Municipalities are required to submit a 4th Quarter Report, by Resolution and voted on by the elected commission for the fiscal year end (June 30).

The expenditure section of the budget, once adopted, by each entity is legally binding on the local government. 

The revenue section of a budget is not legally binding as it is only an estimate of expected revenue.

Municipalities are required to establish and maintain a cash balance in the General Fund equal to 1/12th (8.3%) of the budgeted expenditures at fiscal year end (June 30).

The public is invited to send letters and comments and speak with commissioners concerning their priorities for consideration. Alamogordo citizens are welcome to attend the workshops in-person at City Hall. The workshops will also be livestreamed on the City of Alamogordo's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CityofAlamogordo/streams

An Agenda was posted and is available from the City Clerk's Office seventy-two (72) hours prior to public meetings here: https://alamogordonm.portal.civicclerk.com/

 These workshops offer an excellent opportunity for transparency and understanding of how your local government works for it's citizens every single day. 

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