Mayor McDonald Puts Kids and Families First, In Partnership with Sacramento Mountains Foundation

There are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies planned. No campaign signs. Just a mayor, Alamogordo Mayor Sharon McDonald working behind the scenes in her tactful nonassuming style with the Sacramento Mountains Foundation quietly making sure Alamogordo's kids have somewhere safe, affordable, and fun to spend their summer — and a city administration and acting city Manager, Dr. Stephanie Hernandez,  working on behalf of families, to make it happen.

In a partnership announced Wednesday, the Sacramento Mountains Foundation and the City of Alamogordo have joined forces to expand access to the city's public swimming pool, reducing daily admission costs for youth, hiring additional lifeguards at higher wages, and stretching swim hours so more families can actually use the facility they pay taxes to support.

"This collaboration reflects a shared dedication to creating meaningful opportunities for our families... ensuring our kids have a safe, positive place to grow and thrive."

— Mayor Sharon McDonald, City of Alamogordo

For Mayor McDonald, the announcement is consistent with a governing philosophy that has defined her tenure: skip the grandstanding, do the work. While political debates dominate headlines and certain commissioners play politcal games, her mission and leadership has been focused on the nuts-and-bolts of community life — the things that make a real difference to working parents trying to keep kids occupied and cared for in the summer months.

Acting City Manager Dr. Stephanie Hernandez framed the effort as exactly the kind of collaboration that makes local government worth believing in.

"This is a great example of what can be accomplished when community partners come together with a shared focus on our youth."

— Acting City Manager Dr. Stephanie Hernandez

The city's existing swim program had been constrained by staffing shortages and limited capacity — a frustrating ceiling for a community resource that many Alamogordo families depend on. The new partnership directly addresses those bottlenecks, with Foundation funding unlocking the ability to hire and retain the lifeguards needed to keep lanes open longer.

What the partnership delivers

Lower daily admission costs for youth swimmers. Additional lifeguard hires and increased wages. Expanded public swim hours and overall capacityMore flexible scheduling for working families. A foundation for year-round aquatics ahead of the new natatorium opening

For Sacramento Mountains Foundation Director John Wheeler, the project carries personal resonance. A lifelong Alamogordo resident, Wheeler grew up at that same public pool — and sees the partnership as a way to preserve a community institution for the next generation.

"Growing up in Alamogordo, the public pool was a place where so many of us spent our summers — it was fun, it was safe, and it brought people together."

— John Wheeler, Sacramento Mountains Foundation Director

The timing is also significant. Alamogordo is preparing for the eventual opening of a new natatorium, and both the city and the Foundation are treating this summer as a chance to lay the groundwork for a more robust, year-round aquatics program. In that context, the pool expansion isn't just a seasonal fix — it's a strategic investment in the community's long-term health infrastructure.

It is, in other words, exactly the kind of work that rarely makes the front page — and exactly the reason some leaders deserve more credit than they receive - quiet, results oriented and putting families and children first.

Great job Sacramento Mountains Foundation, John Wheeler and Mayor Sharon McDonald!

NOTE: The City of Alamogordo is Now Hiring Lifeguards
To support expanded hours and increased participation, the City of Alamogordo is currently
hiring lifeguards at a starting wage of $17.75 per hour. These positions offer a meaningful
opportunity to gain valuable skills, serve the community, and be part of a team focused on
providing safe, positive experiences for local families.

Interested applicants can learn more and apply at: https://tinyurl.com/47d5n8z4

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