John Urdi, the new Director of Mammoth Lakes Tourism, is just one of several major, top level personnel changes in the works in Mammoth Lakes.

Urdis official start date is not until July 26th, but the new director of the newly formed destination marketing organization, Mammoth Lakes Tourism, arrived in town last week to meet with local officials and the press.

Urdi is set to take over the tourism portion of the former Town of Mammoth Lakes Toursim and Recreation Department. The recreation side remains with the Town, as the Recreation Department. The private, non-profit Mammoth Lakes Tourism officially took over July 1. As a result of this change, Danna Stroud, the former Tourism and Recreation Director for the Town of Mammoth Lakes, is no longer employed by Mammoth.

Stroud is just one of many other departures. Long time lawmen, Chief Randy Schienle and Lt. Jim Short are stepping down from the Police Department. Last week, a new chief of Police, Dan Watson, was sworn in for interim chief duty.

Town Attorney Peter Tracy is still on the job, but town officials say that Tracy will step aside in January. Who will replace the long time town attorney isnt known yet.

There are also two new faces on the Town Council. Former councilmember Rick Wood was voted back on the council after retiring from that position years ago. Matthew Lehman has also stepped up and won a seat on the Town Council. Long time Town Councilmember John Eastman was re-elected to the council.

While Eastman has been a constant presence in Town Government for years, the recent weeks have marked an unusual amount of turnover in Mammoth Lakes.

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