After a brief in-camera session, council, at its Jan. 13 meeting, passed a motion to cease the current search for a new CAO and contract an organization to be responsible for recruitment and hiring of the position.
Originally, council had come up with a short list of four candidates, one of which was the former mayor Dale Barr.
Following the council meeting, Mayor Rick Pankiw said rumors and innuendoes had made it impossible for council to use their own discretion to make a decision about hiring a suitable candidate.
“Unfortunately, due to rumors that have spread in the community for the last 10 days it is impossible for us to continue our process of hiring a CAO. We are back to square one.”
Pankiw said he hopes such rumors cease in the future.
“I would hope that the citizens of our great town from this day forward can allow their elected officials the opportunity to do the job that we were elected to do. It was unfortunate that a select few can ruin due process as it is intended to be.”
CAO Tony Goode is scheduled to retire at the end of February following the finalization of the 2013 budget. A headhunter is to begin recruitment for the Goode’s position as of Jan. 27.