Search begins for new City of Kamloops CAO
The search is on to fill the city’s top administrative job.
Mayor Peter Milobar said council and the city’s human resources department will create a hiring committee to find a replacement for chief administrative officer Randy Diehl, who will retire on May 1, which happens to be his 59th birthday.
The mayor said the position will likely be posted in the coming weeks, adding the committee will also need to decide whether to hire a head-hunting firm to help in the search or go it alone.
The job could also be filled internally.
Milobar said he wants to find the best person for the job, regardless where they come from, and he expects the process to unfold “sooner rather than later.”
“Ultimately, you’d want to try to have little to no gaps,” he said of the time between Diehl stepping down to a replacement stepping in.
And, unlike nearly all job vacancies at the city, council will be heavily involved in the hiring process, ultimately making the final decision.
The city may not have to look far for a replacement.
David Duckworth, director of public works and sustainability, said he’s interested in the position, but wants to wait to make any specific announcement about his plans.
Milobar said he expects no shortage of highly qualified applicants to express interest in the job.
After nearly a quarter-century with the City of Kamloops and more than a decade at the helm of city’s operations, Diehl announced his retirement at the beginning of the city council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
Diehl said he wanted to retire last year, but was urged by Milobar to stay on for one more year to help council through budget deliberations.
“I wish to say that the decision to leave at this point is entirely mine,” he said.
Diehl noted several achievements, including improving the quality of life in Kamloops by developing the Rivers Trail and Kenna Cartwright Park, noting the 1993 Canada Summer Games marked a major shift in community pride.
Milobar thanked Diehl for his service on behalf of the city and council.
Diehl worked for the city for 23 years, including 12 years as the CAO.
Before joining the city, Diehl worked as a land planner and as a social worker.
As for what comes after May 1, Diehl said he simply wants to spend more time with his family and, perhaps, lower his golf handicap.
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