John Sutherland to Retire as City of Lamar Administrator

Lamar’s City Administrator John Sutherland has announced his retirement effective July 29, 2019. Overseeing daily operations within the City, John has served as the City Administrator since August 2012. He is a conduit between the City Council and City employees who deliver services daily to the citizens of Lamar.

Through John’s leadership the City of Lamar has become known as a city dedicated to doing things differently — a cut above — through a commitment to bold and thoughtful thinking. John’s specialty lies in his ability to clearly articulate a vision of the future, inspire collective action and mobilize resources to make that future happen. John helped reinvest in the City’s service equipment and made significant progress in upgrading its aging infrastructure. Prior to being named City of Lamar City Administrator, John served in leadership roles in City of Tucumcari, New Mexico; Luna County, New Mexico; and Native American governments in Arizona.

“Serving as the City Administrator for the last seven years, it has been a great honor and privilege to have worked for and with this City in accomplishing the work we set out to do in 2012. I am proud of the many accomplishments we have achieved and the improvements we have seen in the quality of life for our citizens,” commented John Sutherland.

Sutherland said he is most proud of the staff members with which he has worked, overseeing significant infrastructure projects in the landfill, waterline & utilities replacement, reconstruction of Main Street, equipment upgrades, the downtown Shore Arts Center Park, Wheels Park, Lamar Loop and many more.

“John has contributed seven years of his time and expertise to the City of Lamar, and his achievements will be long remembered. John’s leadership across the City’s operations has made an incredible impact – from infrastructure to residents’ quality of life. On behalf of the City Council, I want to thank John for his years of service and for all he’s done for the future of Lamar,” said Mayor Roger Stagner.

The public is invited to join the Mayor, City Council, and City Employees for a “Come and Go” Retirement Celebration in honor of John. It will be held on Thursday, August 8, 2019 in the Cultural Events Center, 102 East Parmenter Street, in Lamar from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

The City of Lamar thanks John for his exceptional service and wishes him the best in his retirement.