City manager to retire after 38 years of service
Edmonton’s city manager will retire at the end of the year after decades of public service.
“After 38 years, wonderful years for my family and myself, I’m retiring,” said Linda Cochrane at an announcement Tuesday afternoon. “I’m grateful for all the opportunities the city has afforded me to serve Edmontonians and to serve our wonderful employees and to serve council themselves.”
Cochrane started her municipal career working part-time as a swim instructor at Scona Pool, a news release said shortly after the announcement. After graduating university and working a short stint with the City of Spruce Grove, she made her way up the City of Edmonton ranks to become the general manager of Citizens Services. She took over the role of city manager in September, 2015.
“Thank you Linda, first of all, on behalf of all of city council for your decades of service to the citizens of this city in many capacities, ranging from swimming lessons at Scona Pool ... to running the zoo and dealing with some of our celebrity guests over the years at the zoo, to serving this animal kingdom at City Hall,” said Mayor Don Iveson at the announcement.
Cochrane’s current contract was scheduled to run until fall, 2020. She will now end her term on Dec. 31.
“My decision was made knowing that this organization is in superb hands with an executive leadership team and an extended leadership team that is focused, highly skilled and also leads the work of 14,000 public servants who work for Edmontonians in the noblest and most honourable of ways.” said Cochrane as she fought back tears.
City council is now expected to appoint an acting city manager in the coming weeks and will begin the recruitment process for a permanent replacement “immediately,” said the Tuesday news release.
“The recruitment process will begin with the formation of a recruiting committee,” sad Iveson. “Realistically that process takes many months to go through. So there will be an acting (manager) in place for a short period of time and council will have to designate that acting city manager prior to Dec. 31.”
Moving forward, Cochrane said she has no plans other than to take her husband on a trip to the south of France.