TOWN OF MINTO — Town of Minto council has named an acting chief administrative officer and acting clerk due to the upcoming retirement of current CAO/clerk Bill White.
At council's meeting on Dec. 4, bylaws were passed naming Fire Chief Chris Harrow as acting CAO, and treasurer Gordon Duff as acting clerk.
The appointments are effective Dec. 14, which is White's last day.
Mayor George Bridge told Metroland Media that these appointments are temporary to allow the town to continue regular operations and for council to make a decision on the position going forward.
"We wanted our new council to have the opportunity for input," said Bridge. "This gives us six months to keep operating as normal and gives a little more breathing room to where we're going on a full-time basis. This was already in the plans because we knew Bill was leaving."
When asked why Harrow and Duff were chosen for the appointments, Bridge said it was a combination of things.
"Chris and Gord already held the title of deputy CAO," explained Bridge. "Chris had stepped up to the plate and said he would do it on a temporary basis for six months … and we had to add Gord in as clerk because of the way the rules are, we need to have a clerk."
Duff has all of the qualifications needed to serve as clerk. Bridge said that the CAO position does not need specific qualifications.
"It could be an engineer, an accountant, it could be whatever," said Bridge. "In Bill's case, he was a planner."
Harrow will continue to serve as fire chief and Duff as treasurer during this time.
Bridge didn't say whether the "acting" tag will be removed from Harrow and Duff's positions after the six months, but he believes whoever does the jobs going forward will wear "two hats."
"We have a good, solid plan in place for six months … I can't say if it's permanent or not at this point in time. It's an opportunity for us to look at restructuring," he said. "In most cases in small towns … it's a two-hat situation because of the dollars. We'll probably keep it a two-hat situation, just what two hats we don't know yet.
"I can't see it being a separate entity and having two positions."
Bridge said that White will continue to work with the town as a consultant following his retirement to complete the work on the official planning documents that the town has started this year.
"We'll be paying him what I like to call a hometown rate. He's going to finish off the official plans we are working on as a consultant," said Bridge.
Link to original article in SouthWesternOntario.ca: Town of Minto names fire chief acting CAO, treasurer acting clerk