Region restarting CAO search after pause
Retirement of longtime planning commissioner adds urgency to process
Niagara’s regional council is gearing up to restart its search for a permanent chief administrative officer that was interrupted in spring by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public works commissioner Ron Tripp has been serving in the CAO position on an interim basis since the end of 2018 after then-cao Carmen D’angelo went off on sick leave.
D’angelo eventually parted ways with the Region, as the provincial ombudsman investigated his tainted hiring process and a secret contract extension.
The announcement that the Region’s planning and development commissioner, Rino Mostacci, is retiring at the end of October brought a renewed urgency to the search for a permanent CAO.
The CAO oversees about 3,000 Region employees and a budget of more than $1 billion.
As the top bureaucrat, the
CAO is responsible for regional services that include planning, transportation, water, wastewater treatment, waste collection, emergency medical services and public health. The salary for the position is in the range of $250,000.
Mostacci’s departure leaves three Region departments in the hands of interim leaders: Valerie Kuhns is acting director of economic development, while Bruce Zvaniga is in charge of public works while Tripp handles CAO duties.
Last week, Lincoln Coun. Rob Foster was concerned the Re
gion was planning to replace Mostacci without first having filled the CAO’S position.
Franco Meffe, director of human resources, said there is indeed a “natural progression” whereby the Region would fill the CAO’S position before finding replacements for “subordinate roles.”
“That said, there have been multiple times in our organization, or other organizations, when you conduct recruitment even if someone is in the role of hiring manager on an interim basis. It depends on the role of that person in the organization.
“There are also risks in leaving that position vacant, so while it might not be in the natural order of things it is not uncommon, either.”
The planning department is midway through a comprehensive revision of the Region’s official plan.
The Region budgeted $1.69 million for the project, which began in 2017. It has to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021, for the Region to comply with provincial planning documents and policies.
The background work that informs the updated official plan includes population and employment forecasts, land supply, performance indicators, natural heritage system mapping, agriculture system mapping, agriculture impact assessment, watershed planning and climate strategy.
Niagara-on-the-lake Coun. Gary Zalepa echoed some of Foster’s concerns.
“I would be supportive of seeing the process of the recruitment of a new chief administrative officer moved up,” he said. “I’m not comfortable with it going so long.
“I have some concerns I have voiced through the chair about the management of the files in the planning office.
“I think there are opportunities to offer support for many of the very important projects they are doing in that department. I would hope our senior team looks at the options of supporting the staff through these important projects, such as the official plan work.”
West Lincoln Coun. Albert Witteveen said it is time to move ahead and fill the CAO position sooner rather than later.
“I know we put it on hold through some of our challenges here, but this is a process that takes six months at best,” Witteveen said. “Now is the time to start this process and see someone in place by the middle of next year.”
The next step in hiring a CAO is selecting councillors to sit on a recruitment committee. That is likely to happen at council’s next full meeting.