More than a year after Niagara-on-the-Lake’s former chief administrator stepped down from the role, the search for a permanent CAO to take the helm continues this year.
Marnie Cluckie announced her resignation in December 2023 and after several meetings of the CAO recruitment committee, the town has yet to appoint a replacement — in the meantime, interim CAO Bruce Zvaniga remains in the position.
During last Tuesday’s council meeting, councillors said they would like an update on where the committee is in the process.
Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa said there is no new information he would discuss in an open session of council.
Coun. Wendy Cheropita said she would benefit from an update.
“I would like to know where we’re at, if we have a candidate or we don’t, what kind of challenges we have with finding a candidate,” Cheropita said during the meeting.
Zalepa said councillors have been informed every time there has been notable progress.
“There’s been no point during this process where you have not been updated,” he said.
Coun. Gary Burroughs said people who are being offered the position are obviously turning it down.
“The rest of council needs to understand,” he said.
In an interview with The Lake Report, Burroughs said he is not sure why candidates are turning down the job.
“What I’m trying to understand is, is it an image of Niagara-on-the-Lake? Is it money? What is it that so many people don’t want to come here?” he said.
Burroughs confirmed that someone was offered the position late last year and turned it down.
“That’s why I’m bringing it up. For some reason, qualified people don’t seem to want to take the offer,” he said.
Originally, the lord mayor had hoped to find a replacement chief administrator before Jan. 1 — after the town failed to secure its top candidate out of approximately 70 people who applied.
Recruitment efforts began in earnest at the start of 2024. The town hired Phelps Group, a Toronto executive search firm, to help identify qualified candidates.
