ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — A crowd filled a community forum this week to weigh in on the future of Bonito Lake, where Alamogordo City Manager Bob Stockwell announced he will walk back his earlier recommendation to close the lake to the public and will instead present a five-point compromise plan to the city commission on September 22 — one that keeps the lake open for fishing and limits fencing to the dam area only.

The turnout underscored how deeply the issue resonates across the region. Three city commissioners and Mayor Sharon McDonald attended from the audience, alongside commissioners Warren Robinson, Al Hernandez, and Stephen Burnett. The panel featured former Mayor Susan Payne, former City Manager Dr. Stephanie Hernandez, small business owners, and the mayors of both Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs. County commission candidate Alan Gonzalez and candidate Evan Ross joined the dialogue, and commenting from the audience were representatives of New Mexico Fish and Wildlife, the county CEO, and other officials. Several hundred more citizens tuned in to the livestream.

A reversal, but not a retreat

Reading from prepared remarks — something he acknowledged he rarely does — Stockwell traced his history with the lake back to 1992, when he first managed the city and concluded that the lake’s role as the single best water source in the city’s inventory had to come before recreation. He noted the lake was already about 40 percent silted in during the 1990s, a problem that went unaddressed until the devastating 2023 fires and debris flows forced its closure. After restoration, water began flowing consistently to the city again in 2026.

Stockwell was at times defiant in defending his original recommendation to close the lake entirely, stressing that the detention basins, ponds, and drainage systems built to intercept debris have left surrounding areas hazardous — former parking areas, he said, are now subject to mud flows that would have trapped vehicles during this summer’s storms. His comments returned again and again to a single theme: the lake was purchased in the 1950s as a water source, and protecting the city’s drinking water comes first.

But citing constructive public input and interest from state officials — including Senator Jim Tompson, who has agreed to convene legislative colleagues and state agencies — Stockwell outlined the five recommendations he will bring to the commission:

1. Direct the city manager to open discussions with the state, Otero County, Lincoln County, and Ruidoso officials on options that preserve Alamogordo’s water supply while exploring compatible recreation at the lake and surrounding areas.

2. Continue construction of the remaining debris-flow protection projects.

3. Construct required security fencing around the dam structure and ancillary facilities only — not the lake itself.

4. Maintain the status quo allowing public access for fishing.

5. Post additional signage advising visitors that the lake is a primary municipal water source and that anyone entering city property does so at their own risk.

He also proposed a six-month deadline to report back to the commission on the results of the regional discussions.

Payne pushes back on tone and priorities

Former Mayor Susan Payne offered the evening’s sharpest criticism of Stockwell’s approach, saying she was “stunned” that full closure was ever suggested and questioning, through her comments, his commitment to community and lifestyle programs. While she called the new proposal an improvement over what was presented at the earlier commission meeting, she argued the city should have anticipated the access problems.

Payne framed the issue as one of quality of life, comparing the lake to city parks that require maintenance but would never be fenced off or shut down. She pointed to the 12 years the lake sat closed, during which, she said, an entire generation lost the chance to fish there and make memories — something she does not want repeated. She also credited city employee Dave Nunley with the idea that saved the lake from renewed debris damage, and urged both sides to approach the September meeting with open minds and a willingness to bend.

Business owners see regional dollars at stake

This journalist a former downtown  business owner who ran Roadrunner Emporium on New York Avenue told the crowd that 70 percent of his revenue came from tourists, many of them passing through Alamogordo on their way to Lincoln County or Cloudcroft — evidence, he said, of the direct gains from regional tourism collaboration.

The Bonito Bait and Tackle business owners with a property near the lake, described buying burn-scar land six years ago, betting on the area’s recovery, and launching a bait stand with his children for $400 that has grown into a profitable business gaining momentum weekly. He praised Stockwell’s revised plan as an excellent compromise and urged Alamogordo’s leaders to invest in the lake’s recreational infrastructure and regional partnerships.

Regional leaders offer help

Dr. Stephanie Hernandez defended the process itself, saying the commission’s decision to table the original recommendation and gather public input was exactly how government should work, with no malice on either side. The core question, she said, is a policy decision for the commission: is Bonito Lake a reservoir only, or a reservoir and a recreation facility? She also singled out Commissioner P. Chavis, whose crew camped at the lake during the fires and completed protective ponds in a matter of days, crediting them with saving the lake outright.

The mayor of Ruidoso emphasized that his village’s recovery from the McBride fire, the South Fork fire, and successive flooding was only possible through help from Alamogordo, Tularosa, Roswell, and the state — and pledged the same cooperation in return. He described how Ruidoso manages its own reservoir lakes as drinking water sources first while still allowing recreation: regular water testing, no gasoline engines, kayaks permitted, and events like XTERRA and Ironman that have generated significant economic activity. Insuring a lake, he added, costs no more than insuring a skateboard park. State Representative Harley Vincent, he noted, was already on the phone with senators about a path forward.

The Ruidoso Downs mayor and Lincoln County officials echoed the offer to meet with Alamogordo’s city manager and pursue a regional approach.

What happens next

The commission takes up Stockwell’s revised recommendations at its September 22 meeting, public comments are encouraged. If adopted, the plan would launch six months of formal talks among city, county, state, and federal partners on a collaboration agreement to keep the lake open for public recreation — and on funding to maintain and enhance a property that Wednesday’s crowd made clear the region considers far more than a reservoir.

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