UNITED COUNTIES of SD&G, Ontario – A special SDG United Counties Council meeting was held early Monday, March 25. Council formalized and approved the recruitment of a new Manager of Planning and Economic Development.
“(We met) to enact the job description for a new Manager of Planning and Economic Development. We will be recruiting for that position shortly. What we are hoping to do is create a better structure that is going to allow us to attract a quality candidate that is going to be able to steward those positions,” explained Tim Simpson, County CAO.
Council outlined that a common structure between local municipalities and upper tier is to have a combined management position. This position will hold responsibility for overseeing both land use planning and economic development. Currently, costs associated with the two positions of Manager of Planning and Economic Development/Communications Officer amount to $166,860, plus benefits of approximately 23 per cent. The proposed full year salary for the Manager of Planning and Economic Development will range between approx. $90,000 and $100,000, plus benefits of approximately 23 per cent. Based off an Evaluation Panel review, the placement was determined to fall under a Job Class 8.
“Therefore, going forward, the proposed system will be more cost effective,” read a statement in the council agenda.
“Our Manager of Planning position has been vacant since November…so we’ve eliminated that position, as well as our Economic Development and Communications Officer positions,” said Simpson, who explained that the Economic Development position, previously held by Terry Besner, was eliminated. “So, we’ve taken those two, merged them into one, and are recruiting going forward.”
