Colleagues threw a big retirement party on Sept. 30 for Ed Morlan, who is retiring after 27 years as executive director of the Region 9 Economic Development District. The district covers La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores and San Juan counties. Well wishers from all of those counties and as far away as Yuma in the northeast corner of the state attended the gathering at Sky Ute Casino, along with numerous current and former local government officials.
Morlan is shown here examining a cake that looked just like a chain saw, in recognition of one of Morlan's nicknames: Chainsaw Eddie, for his efforts to cut out dead wood from local governments.
Morlan also got several retirement gifts, some more (or less) serious than others, including an Elvis painting on black velvet. With impeccable timing, the local Jelly Belly Boogie Band was playing an Elvis medley for the presentation.
Morlan is a longtime Bayfield resident and served on the Bayfield Town Board for many years, and the town planning commission before that.
He'll continue doing some consulting with Region 9 and will work with First Southwest Bank to launch a venture capital fund.
