A report detailing the routes Irricana could take to find a permanent chief administrative officer (CAO), following the termination of former CAO Geoff Stephenson’s contract on March 2, was presented to Town council during the April 4 regular council meeting.
Interim CAO Dawn Mosondz said the Alberta Municipal Government Act states it is the responsibility of council to fill the position with a person that will best fit the role, with knowledge, education, experience and personality important factors to be considered.
“I am temporarily filling the interim position,” Mosondz said. “The benefits of getting a CAO will mean that council, staff and the community can begin to have some stability and work forward from here.”
The disadvantage, however, would be the cost associated with some of the options available to council, Mosondz said.
Recruitment services like Traditional Solutions Inc., currently aiding Strathmore in its search for a CAO, Davies Park, which recently filled the CAO position in Fort Macleod, or Ravenhill Group Inc., which is currently being used to search for an Acme CAO and recently filled the position in Didsbury, would cost between $20,000 to $22,000, according to Mosondz.
Another option available would be to hire consultants to work with council to review and guide them through applications, but Mosondz said those are also fairly expensive, with a cost ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.
A third option available to council, she said, is to hire from existing staff options.
Councillor Frank Friesen said although these options are costly, it is important the municipality invest in finding the person that will be the best fit for the job and the community.
“We haven’t hired the right people obviously, so we need to look at it a lot deeper,” he said. “Given the track record we should do it right.”
Council agreed to table to motion until the next regular council meeting April 18 so each councillor could thoroughly review the options in greater detail.
“I don’t think we can make a knee-jerk decision,” Friesen said.
Utility rates increase approved
Council gave three readings to a bylaw that included a moderate five per cent increase to the water rate, making the cost of $3.17 per cubic metres effective for the March/April billing period.
The process of changing the water rates began with a motion in Dec. 14, 2015, that had the cost per cubic metre of water rise substantially from $3.022 to $4.67.
Council rescinded the original motion at a special meeting March 29 following the concerns of residents, who received higher than anticipated water bills.
January/February bills were reissued to residents at the old $3.022 rate on April 1. Mosondz said any payments already made towards the original bill would not show physically on the reissue, but that the payments were still valid.
“If you’ve paid your bill, just remember that it’s already been paid,” she said.
