A local resident says she plans to file paperwork by Friday seeking the recall of her city commissioner, one of four Alamogordo officials facing similar efforts from constituents who accuse them of pushing through a controversial city manager hire behind closed doors.

Kim Murillo, who is leading the petition drive against her district’s commissioner, said the effort is grounded in New Mexico state law, which requires petitioners to demonstrate to a court that an official has engaged in malfeasance before a recall petition can move forward.

“This is not a feverish claim — we’re doing this because for us, it’s about democracy,” Murillo said in an interview with Anthony Lucero on streaming KALHRadio.org. “It’s not consenting to the way they do business.”

According to Murillo, the controversy -stems from the commission’s decision to hire the then-assistant city manager for the top job, a process she says was compromised when it was revealed that at least one commissioner had privately discussed the position with a former city manager as far back as last July — before the full commission was informed. Murillo says the details became public on June 23, after community members pushed for greater transparency.

Murillo alleges that commissioners rescinded a negotiated contract that had been prepared for another candidate — whom the commission had unanimously supported advancing into negotiations — and substituted the current city manager’s name before the agreement was ever presented to that candidate.

“That’s just pure laziness. It’s not the way I conduct business, and it’s sure not the way I want my government to conduct business,” Murillo said, adding that commissioners who voted for the hire have defended their actions by saying they simply disagreed with how the process unfolded. “People involved in the process were colluding. So it’s not only the process, but it’s the behavior that people did.”

The four commissioners named in the recall efforts are Josh Rardin, Stephen Burnett, Al Hernandez and Baxter Patillo. New Mexico law, each recall requires a separate petition signed by voters within that commissioner’s specific district — the four campaigns are not combined into a single filing.

Murillo said her push is not organized under a formal group name or nonprofit structure, describing the effort instead as loosely organized residents — “a bunch of Lucy Gooseys,” she said — working independently to avoid the legal complexity and cost of incorporating.

She is encouraging residents to make sure their voter registration is current so they will be eligible to sign petitions once they are finalized, noting that a prior recall attempt in 2012 failed after organizers were unable to gather enough signatures.

Murillo said she plans to share more details soon, including plans for a Facebook page to keep residents updated on the recall campaigns. Residents interested in getting involved can reach her by phone at 206-898-5134 or by email.

More News from Alamogordo

• Timberon Residents Have Legal Teeth: A Guide to Accountability, Removal, and Legal Recourse Against the Water and Sanitation District Note: This article is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
• Wesley Gilmore Arrested in Connection with Two Emerald Market BurglariesFeatured is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Information released by APD.