After a period of administrative vacancy, the Town of Edgewood has entered the new year under the leadership of Town Manager Kelly Hamilton, who has hit the ground at “warp speed” to stabilize the local government as the town makes progress toward filling a myriad of vacant positions, commissioners said at the Dec. 23 Town Commission meeting.
Hamilton, who arrived in Edgewood from Alaska but previously lived in New Mexico, began his tenure Dec. 22, 2025. By the next day, Hamilton had already conducted a full sweep of the town’s facilities, including visits to the police department, the wastewater treatment plant and various parks, he said at the meeting.
“I met with all our managers and administrators and I iterated to them: We’re not going to litigate the past,” Hamilton told the Commission.
He described his immediate goal as fostering a collaborative environment where staff can accomplish tasks through open communication.
“The sky is not falling,” Hamilton said.
At the Dec. 23 meeting, officials announced that the town will fill two more vacancies in town employee positions. Commissioners voted to appoint Misty Witt as the town clerk-treasurer/deputy manager — a position that opened last month after Shaline Lopez’s resignation. Witt has served as the deputy county manager/finance director for Torrance County, according to its website.
An offer was also accepted for a new grants coordinator, who will begin on Jan. 12. after the former coordinator resigned in November, Hamilton said.
Commissioners also voted to add additional duties to Finance Manager Victoria Archuleta, who had been filling in as the clerk throughout the vacancy. Her title now includes deputy clerk duties, which can allow for more timely fulfillment of public record requests, commissioners said at the meeting.
Commissioners expressed immediate confidence in the new manager, noting that Hamilton arrived with a pre-developed 0-to-30-day plan, a 60-to-90-day plan, and a five-year vision for the town. Hamilton invited residents to contact him directly via phone, email, or text, or even to meet for a cup of coffee to discuss their perspectives. He also reported inherited progress on the town’s public records backlog, noting that 24 of 36 outstanding requests were closed during his first week.
As Edgewood moves into 2026, Hamilton is tasked with managing a long list of nearly 70 items identified for discussion over the coming year, ranging from infrastructure repairs to strategic planning workshops, he said.
“I just want to thank you for your commitment before you had even started,” Commissioner Mike Rariden told Hamilton at the meeting. “That’s exactly what we need here.”