“The majority of work is being done by our (union) employees,” said Mayor Assaly during a January 21 phone interview.

Council received a report from Human Resources Director Dominique Dussault during its January 11 meeting on the status of senior administration posts. Dussault continues to combine her HR duties with work as the interim chief administrative officer (CAO) for the municipality since Daniel Gatien tendered his resignation in mid-December 2020. 

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  Hiring process begins for new CAO

Council received a report from Human Resources Director Dominique Dussault during its January 11 meeting on the status of senior administration posts. Dussault continues to combine her HR duties with work as the interim chief administrative officer (CAO) for the municipality since Daniel Gatien tendered his resignation in mid-December 2020. 

Council has authorized the start of a hiring process for a new CAO, starting with creation of a temporary advisory committee for interviews with potential candidates. Meanwhile there are at least five vacant positions for municipal senior staff. 

 They include the director of recreation and tourism, the public works and engineering director, the chief building officer, the town’s recreation clerk, and the manager of municipal facilities. The HR department has re-posted employment notices for the recreation director and municipal facilities manager positions. The department has received applications for the recreation clerk position and candidate interviews are in progress. 

There is an application notice posted for the chief building officer position now that Jean-Claude Miner retired at the end of December. The HR department plans to post its first notice for the public works director position. Guillaume Boudrias was scheduled to step down as public works director in mid-January but extended his departure date to January 22. 

Boudrias will now work for the City of Clarence-Rockland. Jonathan Wilson, Hawkesbury’s civil engineer, will step in as interim public works director. Mayor Assaly indicated Wilson could be a suitable candidate as the new public works director if he chooses to apply when the position is posted. 

“He’s got all the qualifications,” she said, “all of the knowledge, skills, and experience.” 

The mayor said the number of senior staff vacancies right now is not unexpected. She noted that an HR report to council three years ago warned that between 45 per cent and 50 per cent of municipal staff would be eligible to retire by 2021.