Beaver County Council Appoints Interim CAO

Beaver County Council Appoints Interim CAO

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Beaver County Council has officially appointed Rick McDonald as its Interim Chief Administrative Officer, CAO.

That appointment came during its January 5 council meeting. McDonald said he met with council that day and has been getting acquainted with staff and familiarizing himself with various files over the past few weeks.

“I enjoy this type of work,” says McDonald, who has more than 35 years of service in both the private and public sectors. JR McDonald & Associates Inc. is a management and consulting firm which specializes in governance and corporate reviews, strategic planning, project management and executive recruitment.

McDonald is a graduate of the Executive Management Program from the University of Alberta, and has a certificate in Local Government Administration. Other Interim CAO postings include: Yellowhead County, Saddle Hills County, City of Cold Lake and Town of Olds.

His firm was selected by council to conduct a governance review this past summer. The review encompassed the legislative and administrative functioning and organizational design of the county as well as ensure that council is achieving its outcomes as directed by county policy and/or required under the Municipal Government Act.

Council accepted the review which included 44 recommendations. McDonald said they will be reviewing those recommendations and setting priorities based on those recommendations in the coming months. McDonald expects to stay on until a permanent CAO is chosen by council.