An Investigative Feature for 2nd Life Media & AlamogordoTownNews.org- January 10, 2026
The election of of a new mayor sworn into office for January 2026 was more than a political victory — it was a referendum on the past decade of dysfunction that defined Alamogordo’s city government. The new Mayor McDonald, a moderate coalition‑builder with broad community support, entered office promising transparency, stability, and a renewed focus on public engagement.
But her election also triggered a quiet but aggressive counter‑movement from the entrenched political insiders who once dominated the commission during the city’s most chaotic years.
Within days of McDonald’s victory, the old guard — led by Commissioner Josh Rardin and Commissioner Steve Burnett — began maneuvering to reassert control, beginning with the still‑unannounced vacancy in District 5, the seat McDonald vacated to become mayor.
The District 5 Seat: The First Battleground in a Larger Power Struggle
Even before the vacancy has been formally posted, Rardin and Burnett began pushing a single name: former commissioner Al Hernandez.
Not because District 5 residents demanded him. Not because a public process had begun. But because Hernandez had long been a reliable vote for the insider bloc that presided over years of instability, scandals, and administrative turnover.
Why Hernandez?
During his tenure until defeat by McDonald in 2020 as District 5 Commissioner, Hernandez was part of:
• The era of seven city managers in ten years, a period of extreme instability that cost taxpayers heavily in recruitment, severance, and lost productivity.
• The 2018–2019 Maggie Paluch scandal, where the city manager resigned amid allegations of inappropriate relationships and a toxic work environment. Hernandez convened the special meeting during the public fallout.
• The procedural breakdown surrounding the appointment of City Manager Brian Cesar, which required a redo due to quorum and voting errors.
Hernandez is predictable to the old guard.
He was compliant
He was loyal to the old guard political insiders and local Republican Party establishment leaders.
And that is precisely why the insider cabal want him back.
The Insider Strategy
According to multiple sources inside the local Republican Party establishment:
Rardin and Burnett are attempting to fast‑track Hernandez’s appointment. They are discouraging ther potential applicants and plsn in blocking the nomination of anyone else by placing Hernandez for consideration before any other applicant via a fast track first roll call vote. They are working to ensure District 5 residents do not have ability organize behind their own candidates. They are trying to rebuild a voting bloc capable of obstructing Mayor McDonald’s transparency populist neighborhood first block by block agenda.
This is not a public process. This is a strategic power grab. This is exactly the environment the old guard is trying to create: Move fast, keep the public uninformed, and secure the seat before anyone notices.
The real power play:
Alamogordo’s governance landscape in early 2026 hinges on two interconnected processes: the appointment to fill the District 5 commissioner vacancy created by Sharon McDonald’s ascension to mayor, and the ongoing national search for a permanent city manager
These decisions will determine whether the city builds on voter demands for transparency, stability, and ethical leadership—or allows lingering insider influences to undermine progress.
The District 5 seat remains officially unannounced with a formal application process, timeline to be announced at the January 13th Commission meeting. Under New Mexico municipal law and the Alamogordo City Charter, the commission must appoint a qualified resident to complete the unexpired term
Multiple sources indicate closed door discussions by insiders promoting former commissioner Al Hernandez—a figure linked to past eras of high turnover and controversy—as the choice by Commissioners Josh Rardin (District 4) and Steve Burnett (District 2) even though applicants have not even been formally submitted yet.
Such an appointment could reshape the 7-member commission’s dynamics, potentially creating a bloc more amenable to "good ole boy" decision-making and less supportive of transparency reforms and a dedicated roadmap for the city like the comprehensive plan update mivibg forward in 2026.
The City Manager Search: Ethics Shadows from the Past Effort Linger
The parallel national search for a city manager is actively underway, with resume screening commencing in early January following the unanimous December 11, 2025, relaunch.
Acting City Manager Dr. Stephanie Hernandez continues providing stability since September 2024, achieving key wins in hiring, grants, budgeting transparency, and planning advancements.
The prior recruitment was suspended in June 2025 amid serious allegations: inappropriate (sexist and racist) remarks by certain commissioners toward an applicant, triggering an ethics investigation by the city attorney into bias and conflicts, plus reported external political interference by county officials.
This history underscores the high stakes—another flawed process could restart the costly cycle of turnover that plagued Alamogordo for a decade (seven managers from ~2015–2025, with hundreds of thousands in direct/indirect costs to the taxpayers)
The District 5 appointee will vote on the final selection, including whether to retain Dr. Hernandez permanently. A rushed or insider-favored appointment risks tilting the balance against continuity and accountability.
The Rardin Factor: Past Ethics Breach Meets Recent Actions Yielding to Insider Influence
Commissioner Josh Rardin, reelected unopposed in November 2025 and a long-serving figure, plays a central role in both processes. His documented history includes a 2012 ethics violation: The New Mexico Secretary of State found him in breach of the Governmental Conduct Act on May 11, 2012, for voting on the sale of city-owned land later bid on by a customer of his contracting business. Though he disclosed the potential conflict as advised, the state deemed it unethical. A recall petition launched by resident Michael Smith accused him of self-dealing and betraying public trust; it required 525 signatures but failed, and the effort was abandoned in October 2012.
The recall petition stated that Rardin has "betrayed the citizens of Alamogordo by attempting to use his position as city commissioner to benefit himself," and that Rardin "knowingly engaged in a conflict of interest and was found guilty on May 11, 2012, of violating the Governmental Conduct Act by an ethics investigation performed by the New Mexico Secretary of State.
The New Mexico Secretary of State found Rardin, a contractor, guilty of violating the governmental conduct act when he voted to sell a piece of city-owned land that was later bid on by one of Rardin's customers. Rardin was advised to disclose his potential conflict of interest, which he did. Rardin denies wrongdoing
Rardin has called the matter resolved and a “pure political stunt.” No further formal state ethics findings appear since.
Recent actions, however, raise fresh questions about judgment, personal agendas, and susceptibility to insider pressures—particularly in the wake of McDonald’s election, which signaled voter rejection of old patterns. Sources close to the situation report that Rardin reviewed McDonald’s campaign finance filings post-election, probing for improper ties (none found). He then reportedly considered filing an FCC complaint against 2nd Life Media brands—including AlamogordoTownNews.org and streaming KALHRadio.org—for alleged involvement in the election process.
This threat lacks merit: KALHRadio.org and associated platforms operate under the Southwestern Trails Cultural Heritage Association (STCHA), a 501(c)(4) social-welfare nonprofit explicitly authorized to engage in unlimited issue advocacy and limited candidate-related speech. FCC jurisdiction applies to over-the-air broadcast stations, not online-only streaming radio or digital news outlets. The FCC explicitly states it does not regulate internet content, streaming platforms, or non-broadcast media, and political endorsements by such entities constitute protected speech.
The baseless threat—grounded not in law but apparently in reaction to independent media scrutiny and McDonald’s success—highlights concerns about a commissioner’s potential use of official position to intimidate press coverage or retaliate against perceived threats to insider dynamics. It amplifies questions about whether personal or factional interests could influence key votes on the District 5 appointment and city manager selection.
What’s at Stake for Citizens
These linked processes test Alamogordo’s commitment to the 2025 voter mandate: ethical governance, public input, and breaking the cycle of instability that stalled projects and eroded trust. A District 5 appointment driven by alliances rather than qualifications could directly impact the city manager outcome, risking renewed division and costs.
Residents should appear at the January 13th Commission Meeting Speak in Public Comments and demand:
• Prompt declaration of the District 5 vacancy with open applications and allow the citizens of District 5 to drive who should represent them not out of district commissioner nor " political insiders"
• A manager search free from bias or interference.
• Oversight ensuring decisions prioritize community needs over personal agendas.
Upcoming commission meetings, including January 13th and January 27th offer opportunities for engagement to comment and pressure the commission to listen to the people of District 5.
The connections and what is at stake are clear: one seat shapes the commission’s direction; together, they decide executive leadership.
With Rardin’s past breach and recent stunts in view, transparency must prevail to honor the mandate voters delivered.
This feature draws from official City of Alamogordo records, Ballotpedia documentation on the 2012 recall and ethics findings, 2nd Life Media archives, FCC consumer guidance on jurisdiction, and public sources on STCHA’s 501(c)(4) status. Commissioner Rardin did not respond to requests for comment via an email sent to his official city address with a deadline to respond by 5 pm Saturday.
Chris, I remember a few election cycles ago, there was a candidate that had a cot set up at his place of business and claimed that was his address in the district he was running for even though he had a home somewhere else in town
You forgot, “legal observer”.
“Legal Observer”…
Chris, I remember a few election cycles ago, there was a candidate that had a cot set up at his place of business and claimed that was his address in the district he was running for even though he had a home somewhere else in town
Sunny, with a high of 54 and low of 26 degrees. Sunny for the morning, clear in the afternoon and evening,
The only thing Block leads is in pushing his own personal agenda and politicking through mud slinging.
useful to recognize that 2 of our 3 county commissioners saw that as sterling qualification to be a state senator - wilson's appointment is a working example of the checks-and-balances that are the basis for democratic governance.
Indeed it was. See November2024 for another excellent example of checks and balances.
the key take-away in this article is the statement that trump/kennedy "aims to align U.S.
another well written and useful explanation of the technical aspects that will govern this highly contentious trial. while suits alleging use of excessive force have become more common....in my eyes, this particular case combines several fairly unique aspects.
again, my thanks for keeping the public informed.
