Hunter is the sixth CAO of the RMWB since 2013. This turnover has develop into a standard development amongst Alberta’s municipalities
Article content material
An engineer who is not any stranger to the Regional Municipality of Wooden Buffalo (RMWB) has been employed as the brand new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
Commercial 2
Article content material
Henry Hunter, president and CEO of Wooden Buffalo Housing, was introduced as the brand new CAO on Thursday. Hunter was additionally the municipality’s govt director of public infrastructure and planning on the RMWB between February 2012 and June 2014.
Article content material
“This area has been my house for over a decade, and I’ve a vested curiosity in serving to to understand its full potential,” stated Hunter in a press release. “We have now a whole lot of work forward, and I’m excited to get began.”
Hiring a brand new CAO was the accountability of Mayor Sandy Bowman and councillors Ken Ball, Kendrick Cardinal, Jane Stroud and Funky Banjoko.
“As somebody who has lived right here for a few years, Henry understands the challenges and alternatives within the area,” stated Bowman in a press release. “His expertise in excessive profile positions throughout a wide range of sectors and data of the group can be very priceless at this vital time.”
Commercial 3
Article content material
Hunter has held administration positions with the Metropolis of Winnipeg, Earth Tech Canada and Qatar Petroleum. After leaving the RMWB, he was employed as Keyano School’s vice chairman of Capital Tasks and Amenities Operations.
His seven years with Wooden Buffalo Housing have been transformative. Excessive vacancies on the organizations pressured Hunter to adapt to altering inhabitants fashions and the way the group was run. Hunter additionally signed agreements and joined plans to enhance housing within the rural and Indigenous communities of the area.
“I look ahead to taking up this new function with the municipality and I’d wish to thank council for his or her confidence in my means to guide the group,” Hunter stated in a press release. “I’d additionally wish to thank my Wooden Buffalo Housing Board and senior administration in supporting me by this transition.”
Commercial 4
Article content material
Sixth CAO of the RMWB in 10 years
Hunter’s resignation from the RMWB got here amidst a shakeup of how senior administrative workers are paid and recruited on the municipality.
Paperwork obtained by Freedom of Data laws by the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation discovered the RMWB provided 14 managers—together with Hunter—housing stipends value a mixed $447,494.84 between Jan. 1, 2011 by September 2013.
The RMWB defended these bonuses as essential. On the time, Fort McMurray was rising quickly however the RMWB had hassle filling senior positions. The municipality argued the beneficiant salaries and advantages have been wanted to lure certified workers.
Council was shocked on the generosity of those advantages and salaries, particularly after studying of the large salaries and journey bills given to senior workers and visiting consultants. The incidents led to an audit of the RMWB’s administration construction by the accounting agency KPMG.
Commercial 5
Article content material
Hunter is the RMWB’s sixth CAO prior to now 10 years. This turnover is widespread throughout Alberta. The College of Calgary’s Faculty of Public Coverage says the typical CAO’s tenure in Alberta has been roughly two years since 2003.
Glen Laubenstein was CAO from 2010 to 2014. He was succeeded by Marcel Ulliac, who retired in 2016. Annette Antoniak held the place till she instantly resigned in 2020. It was later revealed most councillors on the time voted to fireside her. Jamie Doyle was promoted to the highest job till he left for a job in Nova Scotia.
The latest CAO, Paul Thorkelsson, was fired by councillors in July after lower than 11 months on the job. Jody Butz, regional fireplace chief and the municipality’s emergency administration director, was interim CAO till Hunter’s hiring.
-with information from Aimée Harper and Marty Klinkenberg
Get the information in your inbox each Friday morning by signing up for our publication.
Article content material
Feedback
Postmedia is dedicated to sustaining a full of life however civil discussion board for dialogue and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Feedback could take as much as an hour for moderation earlier than showing on the positioning. We ask you to maintain your feedback related and respectful. We have now enabled e-mail notifications—you’ll now obtain an e-mail when you obtain a reply to your remark, there’s an replace to a remark thread you comply with or if a person you comply with feedback. Go to our Group Tips for extra data and particulars on the right way to alter your e-mail settings.