MainStreet board fires its director

The board of Tucumcari MainStreet fired the downtown improvement organization’s executive director Gail Houser, board members and Houser confirmed Thursday.

Houser was informed of his firing Jan. 21 and given only a few hours to collect his belongings and leave, he said.

He had served as MainStreet’s director since August 2014.

MainStreet board president Cooper Glover confirmed Houser was fired Jan. 21, saying MainStreet was moving “in a new direction.”

Glover said Friday, “We’re not doing anything crazy, no major changes. We just decided we need a change in leadership.”

Tucumcari Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield announced at a city commission meeting Thursday she had been assured MainStreet projects, including restoration of the Princess Theater on Main Street in downtown, would continue.

Mark Lake, who was Tucumcari MainStreet’s first director from 2008 to 2014, will serve as acting director until a new one is chosen, Glover said.

On Monday, Glover issued a statement: “Tucumcari Main Street would like to thank Mr. Houser for his service to this organization. We are excited to have Mark Lake rejoin us as interim director to guide us in continuing and advancing our projects as we look for a new permanent director.”

Houser’s firing came less than a week after Tucumcari MainStreet landed $17,000 in Partnership Grant Program funds from Tucumcari Federal Savings and Loan Association and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas.

Tucumcari MainStreet’s annual Fired Up festival in September also broke a record with 4,024 people attending, a 19 percent increase over the previous mark.