'Easy to be a Monday morning quarterback': Dr Hernandez answers critics of city projects

Alamogordo NM -Alamogordo's former interim city manager Dr Stephanie Hernandez is pushing back against recent criticism of four city infrastructure projects, arguing that critics are judging past decisions without knowing the circumstances behind them.

"It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback," Hernandez said in recorded remarks. "I worked under city managers, and I would never criticize the decisions because I don't know all the circumstances they faced."

The four projects — the Oregon Avenue project, the Great Blocks New York Ave he project, the fire station and the 10th Street Bridge — were recently criticized during a public meeting. Hernandez said three of them dated back to 2022, under former City Manager Brian Cesar. Since then, the city's top administrative job passed from Cesar to Hernandez, to Rick Holden, and back to Hernandez.

"These projects were already designed," she said. "Much of the funding came from grants with deadlines. Further delays risk the projects altogether."

Hear in her own words:

Project by project

Hernandez said the Great Blocks project was backed by millions of dollars in state money and went through three change orders, including a pedestrian improvement added in response to public feedback that fell "completely outside the original scope." She noted the project later received an award from the state and she as also recognized by the state for excellence in collaborations with the State MainStreet organization.

The fire station, she said, went through three fire chiefs and several changes. Chief Ramirez wanted the project's funding used to improve response times on the city's south side, and the city got that funding reauthorized.

On Oregon Avenue, Hernandez said new infrastructure that was not part of the original design was added so the street would not have to be torn up later. The commission approved two change orders on that project. Hernandez said she questioned a later extension, but it "was approved without much discussion."

The 10th Street Bridge was found to have structural problems, and a permanent fix required more engineering, time and money, she said. Hernandez said Commissioners Rardin and Guthrie pushed hard to reopen the street without a permanent solution, while Hernandez and Rardin criticized the inconvenience. Staff worked on another temporary fix while designing a longer-term Washington canal project, with 10th Street as its first phase.

"The whole story"

Hernandez said the four projects did not reflect the city's full record. About 20 other projects were completed, she said, including the Hubbard Bridge — a problem she remembered from childhood — which was finished in roughly three months.

She said several other projects have completed designs from the same engineering firms whose work is now being re-reviewed, and that she tracked every project and still has records showing where each stood when she left. Projects such as Oregon WSRP phases two and three should be moving forward, she said. She had wanted one underway during the summer to minimize disruption around the school administration building, and the Alaska section finished before Christmas because of increased traffic to the post office.

But knowing she was leaving, Hernandez said, she chose not to start those projects. "I respected the incoming city manager enough not to start projects and tie his hands."

Room to improve

Hernandez acknowledged she was not satisfied with how every project was handled. She said she was vocal about contractor delays, which at times put her at odds with contractors and commissioners, and that the city was already working toward better, fairer processes.

"There's a difference between improving and waiting for perfection," she said. "Anyone who's remodeled a home with the best plans and contractors knows that problems are going to happen. You address them and move on."

She warned against letting projects sit while funding opportunities expire.

"Citizens don't benefit from projects sitting on paper; they benefit when projects get completed," Hernandez said. "And Alamogordo deserves progress."

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