The City continues looking for a permanent replacement for Tim McCabe, the former General Manager of Planning and Economic Development who retired in October.
City Manager Chris Murray has chosen his candidate for Hamilton’s new General Manager of Planning and Economic Development
The news – released in an email replying to my questions about the status of search – comes as Joe-Ann Priel, General Manager of Community and Emergency Services who been Acting GM of Planning and EcDev since McCabe retired, will return to her permanent position in two weeks.
Replacing Priel as Acting GM will be Neil Everson, the City’s Director of Economic Development who will manage the department until Murray’s selection is unveiled at Council.
The choice of a second Acting GM was a surprise, and did not come with news of the choice of one candidate for the position.
It is not known who the shortlisted candidate is, nor when they are expected to start.
I’ve emailed Chris Murray for an update on the process to find a permanent GM to oversee the department.
“I’m working on a April presentation to Council,” replied Murray. “so the list as you can expect is down to one.”
“Its taken time because of the importance of the decision.”
Officially, hiring of GM’s is the sole choice of the City Manager. Traditionally, the City Manager seeks Council’s concurrence before hiring new GM’s.
This will be Murray’s second GM hire, with the first – Gerry Davis in Public Works – occurring during the first months of Murray’s appointment as CM.