8-24-20 Update:
We have several talented individuals in the public sector who have recently let us know that they are moving on to other opportunities. Thankfully, we believe that all three of these individuals plan to remain highly involved in the community, and we look forward to working with them on future projects.
Julie Chester has resigned from the position of Executive Director of Carlsbad’s Arts and Cultural District to pursue other projects in the area. Julie is a very talented person who played an instrumental role in our community’s designation as an arts and cultural district. Julie is a rare combination of someone who is extremely creative and also highly organized, and the Creative Carlsbad effort benefitted from having her run the program. She has also been a great team player who has always been willing to assist when needed. Julie helped run the “Night of Lights” Christmas event and turned it into something great. If you are interested in applying for this position, please visit Creative Carlsbad’s Facebook page.
Karla Hamel has also recently stepped down as the director of Carlsbad MainStreet, as she has also decided to pursue other opportunities in town. We worked together with Karla on numerous projects and always benefitted from her many ideas and her strong work ethic. Karla has done an excellent job representing our MainStreet program across the state, and the program grew under her watch. She has also been one of the driving forces behind the annual CavernFest celebration, which was added during her term. An application process for a new MainStreet director is ongoing and expected to soon be completed.
Finally, Robert Defer has let us know that he plans to retire from the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce in October. Defer has been the C.E.O. of the Chamber for nearly 12 years now. Under his watch, the Chamber continued with key projects such as Christmas on the Pecos and the annual Bat Brigade trip to Santa Fe, while also adding exciting new events such as the Microbrew and Winter Wine Festivals, and 40 Under 40. One of Robert’s greatest passions was the development of the Guadalupe Ridge Trail, which linked together many of our area’s natural wonders. This will be a lasting legacy.
Thank you to Julie, Karla and Robert for their dedicated service to the citizens of Carlsbad. All three of them really helped showcase what makes Carlsbad so special.
COVID-19 update. There were seven new positive tests reported for Eddy County on Saturday and two on Sunday, putting our county at a total now of 417 total positives and 10,122 total tests, according to the Department of Health. The health clinic in Carlsbad is now administering COVID tests from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and the Artesia clinic is now administering tests from 8-11 a.m. Monday through Friday. You can register for testing at these locations by visiting https://cvtestreg.nmhealth.org/
Sincerely, Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway