COBDEN– The Township of Whitewater Region is looking for an administrative assistant.
Danielle Howatson’s final day is tomorrow (Aug. 28). She began with the township the start of July 2014 and is now going to be a law clerk in an office in Pembroke.
“We’re sorry to see Dani go,” said Chief Administrative Officer Christine Fitzsimons at last week’s corporate services committee meeting. “But, she has a terrific career oportunity and she’s going to grab that brass ring and we wish her well.”
She noted an internal posting for the job was put up and the position will be advertised in the newspapers as of this week, on facebook, on a professional website and it could be tweeted out.
“Time is of the essence,” CAO FitzSimons said.
As per staff policy, the selection committee is the chair of the committee, the CAO and two other staff members she would assign, she said. The committee will review the applications and select those applicants to be interviewed and then the interviews carried out.
The committee will be CAO FitzSimons, Councillor Charlene Jackson, treasurer Marsha Hawthorne and deputy-treasurer Erica Price, who will be the primary trainer.
The deadline for accepting applications is 3 p.m. Sept. 2.
CAO FitzSimons said Ms. Howatson has advised she will help out where she can until someone is hired.
“It’s a very complex job dealing with with a lot of different matters and it takes a while to find your way, such as when the phone rings who to direct the call to,” she explained.
She also noted the deadline to apply for the part-time environmental services position closes Aug. 31. The hiring committee for this position will be Councillor Daryl McLaughlin, CAO FitzSimons, Ms. Hawthorne and Steve Hodson, manager of environmental services.
Coun. Jackson questioned why the position would have been advertised externally prior to seeing if anyone within the municipality would apply.
CAO FitzSimons said applying internally does not mean exclsitivity, it just means they are the first to apply. The position can still be advertised externally, which she opted to do.
In working for various municipalities, the position is usually posted internally and then the applications are reviewed and then if there is no one suitable, the position is advertised externally, Coun. Jackson said.
“One week does not give anyone an advantage and they should be aware of the job,” she said.
Mayor Hal Johnson agreed saying there will have to be a policy change.
CAO FitzSimons noted this council can change any policy they wish. She was concerned with the timeline regarding the administrative assistant’s position.
It was agreed there will be more discussion on this policy at a later meeting.
