The city has created a new planning initiative that will lend more planning and engineering resources to development in its latest shuffle of departments.
Former director of engineering Todd Wyman has been seconded to the growth initiative team to help support development from a planning and engineering perspective, according to planning and engineering general manager Guy Boston.
"We put it in place now to specifically look at and serve the development industry as it relates to planning characteristics of growth," Boston said. "It's primarily in the annexed area, dealing with the engineering related to servicing and how you support that from a financial perspective."
While Wyman's secondment is considered temporary, Tracy Allen, the capital projects manager, will become the new director of engineering.
"Todd Wyman is so knowledgeable, such a tremendous asset when it comes to levies and infrastructure, so seconding him into that role was a very smart move by our leadership," Mayor Nolan Crouse said.
One more change will see the word "acting" removed from the title of Gene Peskens, who is now the city's chief financial officer (CFO). The city has been without a permanent CFO since Dean Screpnek left in August for a position with the City of Edmonton.
"[Peskens] is very skilled and as sharp as anyone," Crouse said.
Department shuffle
The restructuring also adds some resources for city councillors through the city manager's office. It will bring some departments left orphaned in October's reshuffling following the firing of former city manager Bill Holtby under the direction of different general managers.
A position known as business manager will be moved from corporate services to the city manager's office and, according to Boston, will be used as the CAO sees fit, which could involve helping council with different issues.
The city will also not be hiring a new director of business and tourism development after Larry Horncastle was fired by council in August. The city has instead created a new position — general manager of economic development — that will consume the former director's responsibilities.
"It's not the identical position," Boston said. "It's just been re-envisioned."
Several offices will also be moving to new departments and general managers for human resources, IT and legislative services will now report to Jennifer Jennax, general manager of business and strategic services. The city's legal and finance departments will report directly to the city manager.
The reshuffling will have no financial impacts, Boston said.
"This is not costing the taxpayers any more money."
