New Tecumseth planning director, clerk positions open

Director of Planning retiring next month

New Tecumseth Free Press

Eric Chandler, New Tecumseth’s Director of Planning informed council last week that he will be retiring from the Town effective Jan. 31, 2014.

Mr. Chandler has been the Manager/Director of Planning since January 2007. He was previously employed by the Province in various ministries, including being responsible for determining the siting and approvals of all the new superjails throughout the Province. He’s been a professional planner for 33 years.

The Town has just posted an advertisement to recruit a replacement.

“Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and as a key member of the Senior Management Team, you will direct and provide management and leadership to a team of professional planners in the Planning and Development Department. You will provide strategic direction and advice regarding policy initiatives and development approvals. You will prepare, organize and monitor the provision of policy and development information to members of Council, Town staff, other levels of government, the general public and the development community. The Director of Planning represents the Town on committees and at public meetings and prepares and presents expert planning evidence at judicial hearings on planning and related matters. It is also the responsibility of the Director to communicate and make recommendations on strategic initiatives from the Province and other levels of government.”

According to the March 2013 Sunshine List for 2012 salaries, the position paid $119,790 annually. That would have increased through the 2013 and pending 2014 budget.

The Town is accepting resumes until 4:30 p.m. Friday, January 17th, 2014.

Town starts process to find new Clerk, key post as 2014 election year

New Tecumseth Free Press December 12 2013

New Tecumseth is advertising for a Clerk/Director of Administration to replace Cheryl McCarroll, who reportedly announced her retirement for “health reasons” in a note to council on Monday.

Ms. McCarroll joined the Town in June 2011 following her service as Clerk of Minden Hills. She replaced Gayla McDonald whose termination sparked a legal action against the Town and mayor Mike MacEachern who was named as a separate defendant. It eventually settled out of court.

The Clerk’s office is one of the key nerve centres in municipal government, as laid out in the Town’s recruitment ad:

“Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer you will head the department to manage its functions: administration and financial requirements; execution of the statutory duties of Municipal Clerk including Council secretariat and records management functions; acting as “Head” under FOI legislation, and as Returning Officer for municipal elections; coordinating property acquisition and disposal; overseeing municipal law enforcement, licensing and vital statistics; providing related public and interdepartmental/government liaison. Responsibilities include: Staff supervision and development; policy and standards recommendation, departmental budget preparation and administration; report preparation and attendance at Council/Committee meetings; executing corporate agreements, by-laws and land transfers as signatory with the Mayor; and contributing to corporate goals/decision-making as a member of the senior management team.”

The Town is accepting resumes until 4:30 pm, Fri., Jan. 17, 2014.

The 2013 Sunshine List for 2012, showed the position paid an annual salary of $104,397. The 2013 and pending 2014 budget included salary increases that would have raised the compensation package.

Because the Clerk runs municipal and school board elections, the incoming candidate will jump right into the fray locally as October 27, 2014 is the next election date.

On Monday morning, prior to any knowledge of Ms. McCarroll’s notice to council that same day, Free Press Online asked the clerk about election prepardness issues and their timing to council, particularly dealing with the ballot question proposed to ask residents of Alliston, Beeton, and Tottenham whether fluoride should be added to the entire system; and whether alternative voting methods would be considered.

“There is a schedule of important dates on the Town’s website re: 2014 Election. There is a guide for candidates and a guide for voters on the website as well – which is new for this election,” she replied via email. “There will be a report coming forward in the New Year re: fluoride question being placed on the ballot. There is a lease agreement for the use of the tabulators so they will be used for counting again in 2014. As for alternate voting methods – I have used vote by mail in the past and it works well. I have also used telephone voting in the past and it worked well for one election but the following time voters encountered busy signals – although the lines were open 24/7. I have not used the internet. Stay tuned!”