Q&A with Theogene Melancon: Finalist for Alamogordo City Manager Shares His Background, Vision, and Approach

Alamogordo, New Mexico – February 11, 2026 – As the Alamogordo City Commission continues its search for a permanent city manager, AlamogordoTownNews.org and KALHRadio.org received written responses from finalist Theogene (Theo) Melancon. Below is the full Q&A based on the questions we submitted and his verbatim replies.

Melancon previously served as City Manager in Dickinson, Texas (2021–early 2025), and has held other municipal leadership roles in Texas communities.

Q: Please tell us about the highlights and any controversies with your role in Dickinson, Texas?

A: When I arrived, the city was in a difficult position: financial records for multiple prior fiscal years had not been properly prepared for audit and the community was still recovering from Hurricane Harvey.

My first priority was rebuilding the foundation. We reconstructed years of financial history, established clean, auditable records, and implemented strong internal controls. That hard work paid off: the city achieved a AA bond rating, one of the highest for a city of our size.

On the economic development side, Dickinson is landlocked with limited annexation potential and aging commercial corridors along major highways. Working closely with the council and the Economic Development Corporation, we focused on strategic redevelopment. One highlight was negotiating a major economic development agreement for a $3 million EDA-supported parking garage tied to a large hotel and food/beverage project. That development serves as the anchor for redeveloping the I-45 corridor.

Hurricane Harvey recovery was another key accomplishment. The city received a $49 million grant for a diversionary canal project to improve flood resiliency. During my tenure, we completed engineering, secured right-of-way, selected the contractor, and broke ground delivering a critical infrastructure project that protects residents and businesses.

Other successes include migrating community development and finance systems to modern, cloud-based platforms, establishing the city’s first in-house Human Resources and Information Technology departments, and spearheaded the initiative to create the City’s unified development code and update all land use regulations.

Regarding controversies: Early in my tenure, I was arrested on an assault charge. I immediately and fully denied the allegations. After an administrative review and legal process, the City of Dickinson reinstated me as City Manager. The charges were later dropped by the District Attorney’s office, and my record was expunged.

I’m proud of how the council, staff, and community handled that period with professionalism and support. It was a difficult moment, but it did not define my service.

Q: How is your relationship with Joseph Turner and what is your affiliation with him?

A: Joseph Turner is the founder of the American Association of Municipal Executives. I am a member of the association. I am also a member of the International City/County Management Association. I have supported both associations through various methods. With ICMA, I have served on many boards. AAME does not have board structures, so most of my support is through helping fellow members with resume reviews, providing one-on-one coaching and helping network members.

He also has a podcast called “City Manager Unfiltered” where I was given an opportunity to speak about my arrest and the lessons that I learned through that process.

Q: Please explain the controversy in the application process in March of last year you withdrew from?

A: I was named the lone finalist for the City Manager position in Navasota, Texas. After several days of productive contract negotiations, both sides ultimately determined that we could not reach mutually agreeable terms on key provisions. At that point, we jointly agreed to end the process amicably so the council could reopen the search for the best possible fit.

Throughout the discussions, the council was professional, respectful, and transparent. I have nothing but appreciation for their approach and wish them continued success. These things happen in executive searches as alignment on compensation, expectations, and long-term vision is critical and in this case, it wasn’t the right match. I remain grateful for the opportunity to have been considered for the role.

Q: Please explain why you are interested in Alamogordo?

A: Growing up in Louisiana, I didn’t have much exposure to mountains, deserts, or cacti, so my first real experience with West Texas and Eastern New Mexico came when I served as City Administrator in Eldorado, Texas. I immediately fell in love with the landscapes and the incredible recreational opportunities have kept drawing me back ever since.

When I started researching Alamogordo, I saw a community at a pivotal moment that aligns perfectly with the work I enjoy most. Leaders here are focused on diversifying the economy, investing in quality-of-life improvements, and addressing affordability.

Alamogordo also has a rich history and serves as the regional hub for Otero County and beyond. Its strong connection to Holloman Air Force Base creates unique opportunities to collaborate with elected officials, military leadership, and stakeholders across jurisdictions to build regional solutions. That kind of cross boundary partnership is something I’ve done successfully in the past and would be energized to do here.

If given the opportunity to serve as City Manager, I would approach the role by listening intently to all perspectives such as residents, staff, business leaders, the Air Force community and work tirelessly to build a unified vision that honors Alamogordo’s heritage while positioning it for a strong, sustainable future.

Q: Do you have any experience interfacing with the military in your prior roles? When what was accomplished if so?

A: Yes, I do have experience interfacing with military leadership, particularly during crisis situations where strong coordination between local government and military units was critical.

While I haven’t served as city manager in a community with a major permanent installation like Holloman AFB, I’ve worked closely with military personnel multiple times in emergency response contexts. These experiences have shown me firsthand how powerful and effective a genuine partnership between local government and the military can be.

The most significant example came during my time as City Manager in Dayton, Texas, when Hurricane Harvey made landfall in August 2017. Dayton became a key staging area for National Guard operations supporting rescue and recovery efforts from North Houston all the way to the Louisiana border.

We quickly coordinated with Guard leadership to establish a major logistics hub at our community center. My staff and I worked around the clock to ensure the facility had continuous power, running water, and secure access.

This allowed Guard units to coordinate high-water rescues, stage equipment and supplies and resupply communities cut off by flooding.

The partnership was seamless and lifesaving. As a direct result of that collaboration, the National Guard unit presented Certificates of Appreciation to several city staff members, including myself, recognizing our role in supporting their mission.

Those experiences reinforced for me the importance of building relationships early, communicating clearly, and treating military partners as true collaborators rather than just resources. If given the opportunity to serve Alamogordo, I would prioritize establishing and strengthening a similar strong, proactive partnership with Holloman AFB leadership.

Q: The more successful city managers from the past had a good working and transparent relationship with our radio station KALHRadio.org and our news staff. What would you do as a CM to build that relationship?

A: I completely agree that a strong, transparent relationship with the local media is essential for effective city management. I’ve made open communication with journalists a priority because an informed public is a stronger community.

Throughout my career, I’ve built those relationships by being accessible and responsive. For KALH Radio and your news staff, I would start by scheduling regular, informal check-in meetings whether there’s breaking news or not. These sessions would be two-way: I’d share upcoming initiatives, policy discussions, or budget highlights early, and I’d actively seek your feedback on how the city’s staff is handling information requests and overall responsiveness.

Early in my tenure, I’d also sit down with you to understand the best ways to share information: preferred channels, deadlines, or any specific formats that help you do your job more effectively. My goal would be zero gaps in communication and mutual trust and respect.

I’m committed to being an accessible City Manager who sees KALH and your team as key stakeholders serving the community.

Q: Finally, have you had any correspondence, meetings, calls or interfacing with any member of the commission or outside groups such as the Builders Association, Chamber of Commerce, or any other business organizations in Alamogordo as a part of your due diligence? If so, who and when?

A: No, I have not had any correspondence, meetings, calls, or direct interfacing with any member of the Alamogordo City Commission, the Builders Association, the Chamber of Commerce, or any other local business or community organizations.

Throughout the recruitment process, I have intentionally stayed within the formal channels: all communication has been directly with the recruiters and search firm representatives. Any questions I’ve had or information I’ve needed has been facilitated through them to maintain a clean, impartial process and to respect the integrity of the commission’s selection.

All my research and due diligence on Alamogordo has been conducted independently through public sources: city website, council minutes, local news outlets, state economic development reports, and community profiles.

I believe this approach is the most professional way to enter the process, ensuring no perception of undue influence or pre-arranged relationships. Once selected, I would of course prioritize immediate outreach to build strong, collaborative relationships with the commission, chamber, builders association, Holloman leadership, and all key stakeholders. I’m looking forward to that next phase if given the opportunity.

Two candidates are scheduled to interview with the city commission via closed door executive session on Thursday. The city manager selection process remains ongoing. AlamogordoTownNews.org and KALHRadio.org will continue to provide transparent coverage as developments unfold. 

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