Mayor McDonald Speaks Out, Robinson Condemns Coalition, Union Urges Solidarity as Alamogordo Enters Uncertain Chapter

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — April 29, 2026 — In a vote that has sent shockwaves through City Hall and the broader Alamogordo community, the Alamogordo City Commission voted 4–3 Tuesday night to accept a financial settlement tied to an EEOC complaint filed by Dr. Stephanie Hernandez, effectively ending her tenure as Acting City Manager after 28 consecutive months of service.

The decision was not made without fierce opposition. Voting in favor of the settlement were Commissioners Josh Rardin, Stephen Burnett, Al Hernandez, and Baxter Pottillo. Voting in opposition were Mayor Sharon McDonald, Commissioner Mark Tapley, and Commissioner Warren Robinson.

The outcome stunned many who had watched the commission vote unanimously 7–0 just weeks ago in March to direct contract negotiations with Dr. Hernandez for the permanent city manager role — a promise that was made publicly, celebrated by the community, and ultimately broken without a single word of public explanation.

A Reversal That Defies the Public Will

The path to Tuesday's vote was marked by weeks of political maneuvering behind closed doors. Since the March 10 unanimous vote, sources with past connections to city hall indicated that several executive closed sessions were requested or driven by commissioners who opposed Dr. Hernandez's hiring — including Mayor Pro Tem Josh Rardin, Commissioner Stephen Burnett, and Commissioner Alfonso "Al" Hernandez — with public justifications offered as "limited personnel matters" and "pending litigation."

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed publicly during the meeting, and the commission refused to allow any public comment or open debate on the matter. Full details are expected to be released through IPRA requests already filed.

What has drawn particular outrage from residents and civic watchdogs alike is not just the outcome — but the manner in which it was executed. The four commissioners offered no public explanation for the dramatic reversal, no floor discussion, and no opportunity for citizens to speak before the gavel fell. A commission that once voted unanimously to hire a qualified leader, then quietly voted her out weeks later without a single word of justification, is a commission that has abandoned its accountability to the people it serves.

State Law Requires a Public Vote — A Special Session Looms

It is not over yet — at least not procedurally. State law requires a public vote on the final settlement contract and on the formal confirmation of Dr. Hernandez's departure date. That vote has not yet occurred, and it cannot happen behind closed doors.

Observers expect the coalition of four commissioners to move swiftly. A special session is anticipated to be announced in the coming days, as Rardin, Burnett, Al Hernandez, and Pottillo appear eager to finalize her removal before public pressure and legal scrutiny can mount further. Citizens and advocacy groups are being urged to monitor the city's public meeting calendar closely and show up in force when that session is announced.

A Double Leadership Vacuum

The timing of Dr. Hernandez's departure compounds an already fragile situation for the city. Alamogordo is simultaneously losing both of its top leadership positions: the City Manager role is now vacant after 28 months of Dr. Hernandez serving in an acting capacity, and the City Attorney has formally submitted his resignation to pursue other interests. The city now enters an uncertain period with no experienced leadership in either of the two most critical administrative roles.

Mayor McDonald's Statement

Mayor Sharon McDonald, who voted against the settlement, spoke with both grief and admiration for Dr. Hernandez.

"As Mayor of the City of Alamogordo, I carry a heavy heart following the decision made at last night's council meeting regarding the city manager's position. While the outcome was difficult, I have no doubt that Stephanie Hernandez will excel in every chapter that lies ahead.

Throughout her distinguished tenure — as Director of Finance, Assistant City Manager, and Acting City Manager — Stephanie has demonstrated exceptional grace, unwavering determination, and a genuine commitment to the people of Alamogordo. Her qualifications speak for themselves, but it is her character and her drive to make things better that have left the most lasting impression.

She remained steadfastly loyal to our staff and helped us all better understand how a city can — and should — operate. No task was beneath her, and no challenge was too great. From infrastructure and long-term planning to responding personally to the concerns of our residents, Stephanie showed up fully and faithfully, every single time.

Her contributions to this city will not be forgotten. The seeds she has planted — in our streets, our systems, and our people — will continue to bear fruit long after her departure. Stephanie, on behalf of a grateful city, thank you. Your service was not just appreciated — it was extraordinary."

— Mayor Sharon McDonald, City of Alamogordo

Commissioner Robinson: "A Sad Day for Alamogordo"

Commissioner and Reverend Warren Robinson, one of the three dissenting votes, issued a pointed statement Wednesday questioning the ethics of the coalition of four commissioners whose actions he described as "damaging to the city's reputation, its future, and the public's faith in local government."

"What happened Tuesday night was not just a failure of leadership — it was an act of bad governance that will have consequences far beyond this commission chamber. The four commissioners who chose to abandon the 7–0 vote and deny Dr. Hernandez a contract have put Alamogordo in a very poor light.

It will now be even more difficult to recruit qualified staff and a city manager willing to commit to a longer-term contract and bring sustainable leadership to this community. Their actions harm business development, feed distrust in government, and cause citizens to lose faith in honest, ethical governance.

This is a sad day for Alamogordo. To Dr. Hernandez — a dedicated public servant who gave everything to this city — best of luck. Any organization fortunate enough to have you will be better for it. You will add significant value wherever you go."

— Commissioner Warren Robinson, Alamogordo City Commission

Robinson's remarks amplify a growing chorus of alarm from civic leaders about the long-term institutional damage Tuesday's vote may inflict. The concern is not merely about one departure — it is about what signal this sends to any qualified professional considering a leadership role in Alamogordo. If a unanimous vote of confidence can be reversed in closed session with no public explanation, the city's ability to attract and retain talent of Dr. Hernandez's caliber becomes an open and serious question.

Union Responds: AFSCME Local 3818 Urges Calm and Solidarity

Tamara Hansen, representing AFSCME Local 3818 — the union representing city employees — sent a message to members Wednesday morning acknowledging the departure and urging workers not to panic.

"I don't know if you are all aware that Dr. Stephanie Hernandez will be leaving. No departure date has been set that I'm aware of. I just wanted to let you know that changes in city management do not change your Union. AFSCME 3818 remains YOUR organization — administered and operated by you and committed to employee rights, health and safety.

Changes in city management could create upheaval in the work environment, and your Union may be of assistance. I wish Dr. Hernandez good fortune in her future endeavors. And I remain confident that we, Local 3818, will continue to work together to make our city the best it can be."

— Tamara "Tammy" Hansen, AFSCME Local 3818

The union's message was widely read as both a show of solidarity with departing leadership and a practical call to action — noting that the union's strength and ability to protect workers depends on its membership, particularly during periods of leadership upheaval.

Citizens Mobilize: Ethics Complaints, Recall Inquiries, and Calls to the Governor

The community's response has gone far beyond social media outrage. Within hours of Tuesday's vote, residents began taking concrete legal and civic action on multiple fronts.

Multiple citizens filed formal letters of concern with the New Mexico State Ethics Commission and the Office of the Attorney General, requesting investigations into the conduct of the four commissioners and the circumstances surrounding the stunning reversal. At least one call was placed directly to the Governor's Office, urging state-level intervention in what concerned residents described as a pattern of deliberate political misconduct at the local government level.

Several citizens also contacted officials requesting the formal procedures and eligibility requirements for a recall of the four commissioners — Rardin, Burnett, Al Hernandez, and Pottillo. While New Mexico's recall process requires meeting specific legal thresholds, community organizers said they were prepared to begin that groundwork immediately if accountability was not achieved through other means.

Perhaps most significantly, a group of citizens is actively exploring the possibility of filing a civil lawsuit that would compel the public release of all notes, minutes, and communications from the recent executive session meetings. The proposed legal action would also seek to subpoena the phone records and emails of the four commissioners — with the goal of exposing what critics allege was a coordinated and premeditated campaign to force Dr. Hernandez out, in direct contradiction of the unanimous public vote made just weeks earlier.

"The fact that this vote was taken with no explanation and no public comment is not just suspicious — it is disqualifying," said one resident who asked not to be named pending potential legal proceedings. "A commission that hides behind closed doors to undo the will of the people is a commission that has forgotten who they work for."

What Citizens Are Saying

Beyond the organized legal response, reaction from the broader community has been swift and largely damning.

"She earned that job. The community showed up for her. The 7-0 vote was supposed to mean something," wrote one resident on a local community page.

Others expressed alarm at the city's broader stability: "We're losing both a city manager and a city attorney at the same time. Who is running things?"

Several longtime residents noted the painful irony — that a woman who had delivered measurable fiscal and administrative reforms, established the most diverse and educated director-level leadership in the city's history, and brought fiscal stability and a new standard for transparency was being forced out without so much as a public explanation from the men who made it happen.

The Questions Alamogordo Is Now Asking

As the dust settles on Tuesday's vote, several critical questions are now swirling through City Hall, community forums, and legal circles — and they demand answers.

Will the coalition of four come clean on their motivations? The four commissioners have offered no public rationale for abandoning the 7–0 vote. Their silence in the face of a community demanding transparency is itself telling. Will they face the public at the anticipated special session and explain themselves — or continue to operate in the shadows?

Will the ethics investigations gain momentum?

With formal complaints now filed with the State Ethics Commission and the Attorney General's office, and calls reaching the Governor, the legal and political pressure on Rardin, Burnett, Al Hernandez, and Pottillo is building rapidly. Ethics investigations in New Mexico can carry serious consequences, and the pattern of conduct documented here — closed sessions, blocked transparency, a reversed unanimous vote — presents a compelling case for scrutiny.

And perhaps the most explosive question of all: Was this about bringing back a familiar name?

Sources within the community are raising pointed questions about whether the removal of Dr. Hernandez was never truly about a settlement — but rather about clearing the path for the return of a previous city manager. Commissioner Al Hernandez previously championed the firing of an individual identified as Stallwell during a prior term. Now, with Al Hernandez, Pottillo, Burnett, and Rardin aligned in a coalition that has ousted the city's most qualified and community-supported candidate, residents are asking: Was installing Stallwell — or someone aligned with the old guard network — the plan all along? And if so, who else knew?

These are not idle questions. They go to the heart of whether Alamogordo's governance is being shaped by the public interest — or by a small group of insiders settling old scores and rewiring city leadership to serve a private agenda.

What Comes Next

IPRA requests have been filed and will compel public disclosure of the settlement details and related communications. A legal probe into the actions of the commissioners who voted for removal is expected to follow. The city faces an urgent need to fill both the City Manager and City Attorney positions amid swirling controversy and deepening institutional instability.

The scrutiny now bearing down on the coalition of four is expected to be significant and sustained. Between the state ethics complaints, the AG referrals, the Governor's office contact, potential civil litigation, and growing recall momentum, the political cost of Tuesday's vote may prove far greater than any of the four commissioners anticipated.

As Commissioner Robinson warned, and as the mobilization of Alamogordo's citizens now demonstrates — bad governance does not go unnoticed. It goes on the record. And in this case, that record is growing by the hour.

Dr. Hernandez has not yet publicly announced her next steps. No departure date has been confirmed, and the required public vote on the final settlement has yet to occur. For Alamogordo — a city that has cycled through leadership for over a decade — the question is no longer simply who leads next. It is whether the people who engineered this outcome will face the full weight of public accountability, legal scrutiny, and the judgment of the community they were elected to serve.

Stay tuned. This story is far from over.

This article incorporates public statements, union communications, citizen accounts, and reporting from 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News. Additional reporting will follow as IPRA responses, legal filings, state agency responses, and special session announcements are received. Citizens are encouraged to monitor the city's public meeting calendar at the city of Alamogordo website.

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