Erin to spend $100K on consultant to help find new CAO

ERIN – The township's search for a new CAO will begin with hiring a consultant. 

Following a lengthy closed meeting and a motion to present an unidentified person with the interim CAO job, town clerk Lisa Campion presented recruitment options to fill the permanent position which included hiring a consultant or deferring the decision to a later date. 

Fire chief Jim Sawkins has been the interim CAO since August when former CAO Nathan Hyde left for Caledon after six years in Erin.

"There are pros and cons to each option as well as various financial considerations," said Campion, during the council meeting. "Per the current policy, it would be recommended that an external consultant be retained to handle this recruitment."

Coun. John Brennan supported hiring a consultant as he felt it was necessary to start the process as soon as possible. 

“We’re in the midst of well certainly the largest project that this town has ever seen,” said Brennan. "I think time is of the essence here." 

Town treasurer Wendy Parr said that issuing a tender to a consultant company and following recommendations will take approximately two months.

The report anticipates the financial cost of hiring a consultant could be upwards of $100,000. 

“It is going to be quite a time-consuming process,” said Parr. 

However, Brennan said that is to be expected with long-term processes. 

"I would like to start (the process) now instead of waiting for a couple more meetings to start them because that time period is not going to change," said Brennan. "It just gets further and further out." 

Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.