City of Powell River council passed a motion during a special council meeting this month to hire a new approving officer to temporarily fulfill duties following Regina Sadilkova’s resignation as manager of development services.
Maureen Pilcher, of Maureen Pilcher and Associates Inc. based out of Qualicum Beach, will act as an interim approving officer while the city looks to hire a new manager of development services, a position which incorporates the responsibilities of the approving officer.
Approving officers ensure that subdivision proposals comply with provincial legislation, municipal bylaws and policies and “protect the best interests of the community,” according to a report prepared by the Stan Westby, city chief administrative officer. The report goes on to state that Pilcher has “the knowledge, expertise and experience to undertake the duties and responsibilities” and that she has 29 years of experience with municipal governments.
Because the costs of hiring an interim appointing officer are anticipated to be under $2,500 the city is not required to look at a minimum of applicants. Mayor Stewart Alsgard asked if Pilcher’s not being a resident of Powell River would impact her ability to perform her duties, but Marie Claxton, city clerk, assured that it would not. Councillor Aaron Pinch asked if anyone local had applied for the interim job. Claxton said that Sadilkova provided recommendations on who could fill the role, before she left, and that none of those recommended were local.
The city expects the process of finding a new manager to take two to six months. The report states that all current subdivision applications are up to date and that the responsibilities for the interim approving officer will be minimal and limited to making sure subdivisions follow guidelines.
