CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — Carmel Christkindlmarkt faces challenges as the city government works to assess the future of the Christmastime event.

On Wednesday, a former board member of the operating agency, Carmel Christkindlmarkt Inc., filed a lawsuit alleging defamation, and the president and CEO resigned.

Susan S. McDermott filed the lawsuit against Carmel city government and Republican Mayor Sue Finkam, alleging defamation related to her role on the board. A longtime Carmel resident and financial professional, McDermott claims that Finkam made false statements about her withholding financial information from the city. These statements, McDermott alleges, have damaged her professional reputation.

McDermott joined the Christkindlmarkt board in January 2024.

The lawsuit says the conflict arose when McDermott was asked to provide financial documents while she was on vacation. She complied upon her return, but disputes emerged over the ownership of the Christkindlmarkt festival and the terms of an operating agreement with the city government. McDermott resigned from the board after learning that new members, appointed by Finkam, were set to approve an operating agreement she opposed.

Following the resignation, McDermott says, Finkam made defamatory statements about her professional conduct.

Meanwhile, Maria Adele Rosenfeld announced her resignation effective Thursday as president and CEO of Carmel Christkindlmarkt Inc., according to a news release issued Wednesday. Rosenfeld had been with the organization since its inception in 2017.

Rosenfeld said in a statement in the news release, “It is impossible to put into words how much the last eight years have meant to me. I am so honored to have served the Carmel community as the founding CEO of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt.”

In March, Carmel Christkindlmarkt touted a $24.3 million total economic impact in 2024, with combined economic impact of the 2023 and 2024 markets totaling to $47.4 million. The market averaged nearly 10,000 daily visitors on average.

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