Union and residents press commission to keep Desert Lakes maintenance in-house as RFP with maintenance approaches

Union leaders and dozens of residents pressed the Alamogordo City Commission on May 26 to reconsider outsourcing maintenance at Desert Lakes Golf Course and to demand a full public make‑or‑buy cost analysis before shifting city maintenance jobs to private contractors.

Marcus Bartlett, representing AFSCME Council 18 and Local 3818, told the commission that privatizing maintenance threatens public accountability and could shift risks and costs to taxpayers. Bartlett said the city’s original RFP (20260001) was written as an operator-only model that explicitly excluded maintenance, and he argued the more recent direction to consider maintenance privatization proceeded without a completed cost comparison. He provided examples from other municipalities where privatization either raised costs or prompted governments to bring work back in-house.

Why it matters: The golf course combines public recreation, local tourism and city-owned infrastructure (irrigation and reclaimed water). Union and resident speakers argued that maintenance work requires institutional knowledge of the irrigation system, soils and reclaimed-water operations and that preserving city maintenance positions protects local jobs and long-term service quality.

Union alternatives and public concerns: Bartlett proposed four alternatives: return to an operator-only RFP (keep maintenance public), a split operator/split-maintenance model with coordination protocols, a labor-management maintenance improvement plan with performance metrics, or a phased pilot evaluating operations after one year. Union president Tamara Hansen and numerous public commenters supported keeping maintenance in-house and asked commissioners to require a comprehensive cost study before any outsourcing.

Commissioner and staff exchange about process: Commissioners pressed for clarity on how prior contract changes (weeds and drainage) were managed and whether the commission or management level directed those changes. Staff confirmed that the commission previously directed issuing an all‑inclusive RFP (management, pro shop, restaurant and maintenance) and that an initial publication attempt was cancelled to complete required process steps.

Procurement timeline and worker impacts: Staff told the commission that, absent different direction, the RFP could be advertised on June 13 (newspaper deadlines may delay to June 13/27 advertisements) with a 30–45 day response period and potential award in September; an award schedule could allow transition late summer or early fall. The current contractor (Grant) has offered to extend operations through September and possibly December to facilitate transition if needed. Staff emphasized that any award would include contract terms for transition and potential interview/rehire considerations for existing workers, but that prospective employment with a successful bidder would be a contractor decision.

Public comments: Multiple speakers from the golf community — players, the Men’s Golf Association and retirees — urged professional management but split on whether maintenance must be in-house; several speakers said outsourcing does not necessarily mean the course will become private, and others condemned perceived process errors and slow response on course conditions. Presenters also raised practical concerns: irrigation reliability, water quality on the course and the need for immediate parts and pump repairs while longer-term procurement and RFP processes move forward.

Next steps: Staff said the commission’s current direction remains to release an all‑inclusive RFP unless the commission directs otherwise. Staff expects to bring back RFP documents for commission review; the commission may amend scope or require explicit bid alternatives (operator-only vs operator+maintenance) before publication. Stakeholders asked for a full cost comparison and for the commission to demand explicit transition protections for city employees if outsourcing occurs.