AlamogordoTownNews.com Alert City Commission Meeting tonight

https://alamogordonm.civicclerk.com/Web/UserControls/pdf/web/DocPDFWrapper.aspx?p=1&aoid=2318

City Commission meeting tonight but the priority of Susan Payne and the Commission of the City of Alamogordo is not to take on the peoples business of recognizing community leaders that have made a positive impact on the community unlike other elected bodies.

The priority is not to debate or discuss the Sewer Ordinance which places the financial burden of street repairs on homeowners unlike other cities in New Mexico. Only Alamogordo and a hand full of small towns place the repair of the street on the homeowners. But of course Commissioner Payne doesn’t care about your financial burden, she got her payout from the city: 

She admitted during a phone call  to a “$30k settlement” from the city of Alamogordo she “won in a lawsuit over water main damage,” prior to her election to Commissioner. 

A survey was done showing a majority of 401 people polled feel like this is an issue that needs review but Commissioner Payne though she was made whole does not see the issue important enough to be on a city agenda for review. 

Commissioner Susan Payne believes the priority per the agenda item she proposed is to “make a statement in support of the Floyd School Board”. 

Floyd, a city that Alamogordo has no affiliation with nor any legislative responsibility over! Yes Ms. Payne is more concerned with as statement of the actions of another elected body in another town as her priority per agenda item 10. And obviously that statement is more important to her than the issues of expense to homeowners and recognition of stellar Alamogordo citizens.

Priorities are wrong Commissioner Payne and any Commissioner that signs on to this initiative rather than tackling the issues of the people of Alamogordo that most directly impact them daily - roads, water, sewers, jobs and local crime spikes. Those priorities are ignored but yes a statement to Floyd that is the priority du jour of Commissioner a Payne.  

Survey results on sewer ordinance and issue Ms Payne refuses to place on agenda 

The municipal election is coming up. Most commissioners were elected with fewer votes then the High School student body President due to a lack of participation. When you don’t participate you get the continued poverty and derogatory performance that is none responsive to the local citizens as we see on this agenda…

City Council Commissioner District 1 Jason Baldwin won with only 481 Votes

City Council Commissioner District 3 Susan Payne won with only 341 Votes

Otero County has a TOTAL of

• 10,203 or 28% of registered are Democratic registered voters
• 16,775 or 45% of registered are Republican registered voters
• 417 or 1 % of registered are Libertarian registered voters
• 9,609 or 26% of registered are Independent registered voters

for a total of 37,004 registered voters in total in Alamogordo County.

Source: Secretary of State of New Mexico Jan 2021

AlamogordoTownNews.com investigates is going to dig into the money trail of local politics and we will be publishing the financial filings of candidates and candidate committees to see who and what is driving the dialog of political debate in Alamogordo and Otero County.

Here are some interesting facts to consider in regards to the money trail...

Individual Campaign Contributions in Alamogordo, NM

In the last 4 years (2018-2021), there were 2,662 contributions totaling $63,557 to the Democratic Party and liberal campaigns, averaging $24 per contribution.

In the last 4 years, there were 495 contributions totaling $102,792 to the Republican Party and conservative campaigns, averaging $208 per contribution.

(source: Federal Election Commission)

State and Federal elected officials the paper trail of cash into their campaigns is very easy to see and to track. As an example every candidate or office holder has financial disclosures they are required to report that is public record. For elected officials in the state of New Mexico one can look up their reports here...

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/explore/candidate

The Local Election is November 2nd, 2021

Important Dates to Remember

August 4th-SOS will Issue Proclamation, calling for the election.

August 24th – Candidate Filing Day in the Otero County Clerk’s Office (for all Positions) from 9:00 am. – 5:00 pm.

-Local Governments must adopt any ordinances and/or resolutions to establish ballot questions.

-Last day to hold a Special Election.

August 27th – County Clerk shall certify the local government ballot questions to the SOS.

August 31st – Write-In Candidate Filing Day at the Otero County Clerk’s Office (for all Positions) from 9:00 am. - 5:00 pm.

- Last day for a candidate to withdraw.

September 3rd – Notify candidates that qualify to be on the ballot.

September 18th – UOCAVA ballots get mailed.

October 5th – Last day to register to vote by mail or electronically.

- Early Voting begins and Absentee ballots are mailed.

October 19th – Last day to mail out Absentee ballots.

October 30th – Absentee and Early Voting ends (no more voting until Election Day).

November 2nd – Election Day!! Voting from 7:00 am. to 7:00 pm. at all 16 Voting Convenience Centers (VCC’s)

November 9 - County Commissioners will certify the canvass of returns.

November 23rd – The State begins their canvass.

January 1, 2022 - Start date of officers elected to serve terms

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