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Carlsbad’s former mayor Claude “Bud” Lewis died on Wednesday, October 15, 2014, according to announcement on the City of Carlsbad website. He was 83.

Few have done more for the City of Carlsbad than the former Mayor. He served on the Town Council for 40 years (the last 24 of those as Mayor).

“Mayor Lewis embodied the very best of Carlsbad,” said Mayor Matt Hall, who succeeded Lewis in 2010. “He devoted his life to public service and remained committed to the principles of a fair and open local government, accessible to everyone regardless of social or economic status. His values helped shape the city we are today, effectively managing growth to maintain an excellent quality of life, a strong and diverse economy, and an involved citizenry.”

“Mayor Lewis was my teacher first, then my colleague and ultimately my friend,” said Mayor Pro Tem Mark Packard. “He always took the long term view. Whether talking about how to manage growth or address our critical water supply challenges, he laid the groundwork to make sure our city would continue to thrive long after he was gone. That is a sign of a great leader.”

“Mayor Buddy Lewis was a rare politician who won people over while remaining true to himself,” said City Council Member Lorraine Wood, who served as City Clerk during Lewis’ mayoral tenure. “He wasn’t prone to telling people what they wanted to hear, but he told them the truth. He stayed true to the motto that what was right for Carlsbad wasn’t always popular, and what was popular wasn’t always right.”

“Mayor Lewis was a humble man who never forgot his roots,” said Council Member Keith Blackburn. “He was a man of integrity, and he brought that to the office every day, trying to do what was best for Carlsbad, its residents and its businesses.”

“When I served on the Carlsbad Planning Commission, I saw the result of Mayor Lewis’ legacy every day,” said Council Member Michael Schumacher. “He made sure we maintained high standards, and as a result of his hard work he left Carlsbad a better place than he found it.”

Lewis’ wife Beverly (pictured right) died in May of 2011. Our thoughts go out to Mayor Lewis’ family, friends, and the entire city of Carlsbad. For the official word from the City, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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With today’s resignation of Carlsbad City Manager John W. Coates, the city is again operating with an interim city manager (Carlsbad Fire Chief Kevin Crawford get to do it this time around) until the City Council can reportedly “develop a strategy for filling the position.”

“John was called to serve at a critical time of transition for our city organization,” said Mayor Matt Hall. “During the past 12 months, he has accomplished an ambitious agenda, leaving us well positioned to continue on our path of becoming a truly world class city.”

Coates was only officially in the position of City Manager for six months so it would seem that Council would still have a pretty good idea of what they’re looking for when it comes to a City Manager. Buy why rush things. Might as well put it off until February. For the official word from the City, follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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The City of Carlsbad handed out its Citizens of the Year Award at a special ceremony this evening and Mayor Claude A. “Bud” Lewis, his wife, Bev Lewis, and longtime community volunteer Doris Lee Ritchie were all recognized.

The Citizen of the Year program is more than 40 years old and honors community members who have given their time and energy toward the civic improvement, beautification and betterment of the City of Carlsbad. This year’s honorees were selected by a four-person committee of Carlsbad residents and recognized during a ceremony at Carlsbad City Hall, just prior to the regularly scheduled City Council meeting.

We’d like to say thank you for everything that all of you have done. Follow the jump for all the details.
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