Gibbons gets nod as acting CAO in Holyrood

By Craig Westcott / June 2, 2023

Holyrood’s economic development officer, Marjorie Gibbons, will serve as the new acting chief administrative officer until September 1, council decided Tuesday.

With current CAO Gary Corbett on leave and set to retire September 1, corporate services committee chairperson Laura Crawley moved the council appoint Gibbons on an acting basis. The motion passed unanimously.

Mayor Gary Goobie said council offered everyone in management the opportunity to apply and submit “their credentials, their resumes and whatnot.”

Council then met in private to review the applications.

“We had a thorough discussion on it, and I have to say all of our management staff have very impressive resumes and credentials, no question,” said the mayor.

“It was definitely a hard, difficult decision, because there are many (good) qualities of our senior staff,” added Crawley.

“The one thing that stood out,” Goobie noted, “we identified that Marjorie, with her position, it crosses over pretty well every department. So, she’s quite experienced and knowledgeable in all facets of the Town’s operation. So that was the decision of council at the time and when we’re leading up to September 1, council will decide the process we will follow in replacing our CAO, Mr. Corbett, and how that process will unfold. So, congratulations to Marjorie, and congratulations to everybody who put their name forward. We appreciate it, and it was a big decision.”

Meanwhile, council also approved a raise for all of management retroactive to January 1 and ending December 31. Unlike previous management contracts, this one doesn’t match the length of the contract agreed to with unionized workers, who recently signed a three-year deal.

“It’s a one-year contract (for managers) and the reason for that is that there could be things identified in the operational review that may play into that next contract,” Goobie pointed out.

The review of Holyrood’s municipal operations is being conducted by consultant Pat Curran, who is expected to submit a draft report to council for its private consideration later this summer. The final report, once it is completed and accepted by council, will be made public.

Crawley added council was a little bit overwhelmed when the two contracts came up for renewal at the same time last year, so it decided to stagger them from now on.