The District of Sechelt has filled one of its three vacant senior staff positions.

Randy Stoyko has been appointed as Sechelt’s chief of innovation and growth with Stoyko assuming the role starting Sept. 10.

“Randy brings to Sechelt a wealth of experience in managing organizations to achieve excellence in the face of change,” said Mayor John Henderson.

“Council is looking forward to working with Randy to help Sechelt become a leader in local government innovation.”

With an employment background in senior management positions in both the private and public sectors, Stoyko brings key skills in performance improvement to his new position. He has served at the director level within the government of Manitoba, as a principal in a business consulting firm and as a director and a manager for firms employing up to 70,000 people. He will be relocating to Sechelt from Winnipeg.

“Sechelt is a beautiful community, and I am excited about joining the municipal staff as chief of innovation and growth,” Stoyko said. “The position is new, I am new to the community, and the approach the municipality will be taking will be a new one, focused on promotion of community advancement and process improvement.”

Sechelt’s chief of innovation and growth position was developed earlier this year. It combines the duties of the former chief administrative officer position with the role of supporting council.

The District still has two senior staff positions to fill — corporate officer and manager of sustainability and special projects. Emanuel Machado, the previous manager of sustainability and special projects, will be leaving the District to assume the chief administrative officer position with the Town of Gibsons. Jo-Anne Frank was let go from her position as director of corporate services effective May 30.

Henderson said in an interview with Coast Reporter in August that it would be up to the new CIG to hire a new corporate officer and possibly fill the manager of sustainability and special projects position.

“Sustainability and the environment are things that need to be included in all the activities that we’re undertaking, so whether it warrants a specific position that then works with a bunch of other people, or whether we try to integrate the importance of sustainability in everything from our public works to parks to major projects, I think that’s a management decision,” Henderson said.