Alamogordo City Commission Meeting - Difficult Dialogue, Military Housing Potentially Slighted

Tuesdays Alamogordo City Commission meeting was light on agenda items - two public items a liquor license for the new Avis Building pub and Bed and Breakfast that is being developed on New York Avenue passed overwhelmingly 7 to 0.

During Commission Comments by the commissioners Mayor Susan Payne took a significant step towards addressing the ongoing saga with the Chamber of Commerce leadership whereas she clarified her position for asking the Chamber leadership to come before the city and in person present a clear and concise report of how it has used $50,000 in taxpayer money fot business development. She suggested in the report emailed the Chamber took credit for the creation of an independent nonprofit that has raised thousands for the F-14 park that was actually the efforts of Danielle Rondelez. The mayor entered purported evidence into the record to discredit some chamber claims. AlamogordoTownNews.org will be issuing an IPRA for thosr documents and will release them in a future article with contextual details.

The mayor furthet reviewed an issue at the Mayoral forum whereas she questioned a candidate's response to not having a conflict of interest or a consideration of Nepotism due to his wife working in the Clerks Office at City Hall and him not disclosing the fact. Anthony Lucero is reaching out to the candidate for comment on KALHRadio.org. 

There was a follow up presentation by the military housing proposal team suggesting a request for LEDA money and a followup from  Extreme Amplitude seeking the remaining $1.9 million. Commissioners were split in what to do with 2 championing the full amount to go to Exteme Amplitude and "be done with LEDA"  The mayor suggested that an increase from staff was warranted but that "military housing is vastly needed and it's hypocritical to fall all over ourselves for the other housing project and slight the one that is actually geared towards military housing." It looked as if the remaining dollars might be split between the two projects but the applicant was in insistent in needing the full smount. 

After a contentious and difficult debate the issue was delayed tabled for decison until next Wednesday after the election. Stay tuned...

More News from Alamogordo

• Unveiling Shadows: The Alamogordo Recording and the Fight for Civic Transparency Today, we release an audio recording between the executive directors of two prominent local organizations...
• Mayoral and District 2 Forum Monday Revealed Candidate Stances on Issues Forum highlighted ethics and LEDA priorities