The top staff position will soon be up for grabs at the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD).
Interim CAO Angie Legault is leaving the SCRD to assume the role of corporate officer at the Cowichan Valley Regional District on Vancouver Island.
“The board was notified a couple of weeks ago,” said SCRD chair Lori Pratt.
“She has been a tremendous support for us and has done an amazing job as interim CAO. The incredible amount of dedication she has put into the Sunshine Coast Regional District for her tenure, it’s been fantastic. We’re really going to miss her,” said Pratt.
Legault, whose last day at the SCRD is July 22, has served as interim CAO since Janette Loveys departed last March. Before that, Legault was the regional district’s chief legislative officer. She has served in various administrative roles at the district for more than 22 years, including an earlier stint as interim CAO in 2015. She starts her new role July 29.
The board is looking for an interim CAO to serve on contract “to help us through the transition” between when Legault leaves and a permanent CAO is hired, Pratt told Coast Reporter.
“We have a number of names that we’re looking at right now,” said Pratt, who expects to announce the new interim hire within two weeks.
Legeault acknowledged the timing “isn’t ideal for the SCRD but opportunities don’t always happen when they are convenient, and it was an opportunity for me to pursue work at a larger regional district and I’m looking forward to the opportunity, though I will miss a lot of people here.”
For the permanent hire, the board has selected a search firm. “We are just at the beginning part of that process. Timing is never convenient. We’re working through everything step by step and making sure that we have a really good process in selecting our permanent CAO,” said Pratt. She expects it to take between 10 weeks and four months to fill that position.
This marks the third vacancy among senior administrators since the new crop of directors took office in October. Loveys left the CAO position in March and manager of planning and development Andrew Allen will be leaving that role to become the director of planning at the District of Sechelt in early August.
“Losing the institutional memory of Angie and Andrew, it is hard for us, but also at the same time it’s an incredible opportunity for them,” said Pratt. “We have a tremendous senior management team that is very dedicated to the organization and will be helping [us] through this.
“The board may be new, but we’re not naïve and we understand these things happen and we’re going to do everything we can to support the staff we have.”
Pratt said the change in leadership will not affect project timelines, at least on the water file. “We cannot afford to change timelines on anything,” said Pratt. “We’re in a crisis situation with water, even an emergency. Those things still move forward.”
