Gatien presented his formal notice last month that he is stepping down as chief administrative officer (CAO) for the Town of Hawkesbury. Prior to his official resignation, Gatien had been on temporary leave for personal reasons for several months. Dominique Dussault, human resources director, has been serving as acting CAO during his absence.

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During its January 11 committee of the whole session, Hawkesbury council reviewed a brief from Dussault on the hiring process to find a new CAO.

Council also reviewed a nine-page report from Alternative RH, the consultant firm hired to manage the recruiting process. The company was involved in the recruitment process that resulted in Gatien’s hiring as CAO in 2018.

The goal is to have a new CAO candidate selected by the end of March or by early April. Councillor Antonio Tsourounakis questioned the short timeline allowed for the hiring process.

“Why is the scheduling so tight?” Tsourounakis said. He was told that the municipality needs to be ready to field applications for the position.

“Everybody knows in the region that we will be looking for a CAO,” said Dussault, adding that Hawkesbury administration will be posting notice of the position on the provincial hiring site and also sending it out to various municipal hiring websites.

Council approved hiring Alternate RH to manage the CAO recruitment process and also to create a recruiting advisory committee, composed of Mayor Paula Assaly, Councillors Lawrence Bogue and Robert Lefebvre, and Marie-Claude Morin of Alternative RH.

A two-year tenure for Gatien

Gatien was hired in 2018 as Hawkesbury’s chief administrator. 

Prior to his position in Hawkesbury, he held a similar position with the Municipality of Casselman from October 2015 to May 2018. Gatien went on sick leave in January 2018 and tendered his resignation several months later.

Russell Township hired Gatien as its first full-time economic development director in September 2011. He held this position until September 2015.

Gatien also served as CAO for the City of Clarence-Rockland for about 15 years. He left in 2010.

Before coming to work for the City of Clarence-Rockland, Gatien spent almost 10 years as CAO for the Town of Haileybury, Ontario.