County names Marcia Wallace as new CAO
Administrator | Nov 18, 2019 | Comments 4
Marcia Wallace named Prince Edward County’s new CAO
County council today appointed Marcia Wallace as the municipality’s new chief administrative officer (CAO).
Wallace joins the municipality with more than 20 years of experience in the Ontario Public Service. Since January 2018, she has served as the assistant deputy minister for the municipal services division with Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“I am excited to join the County in this role,” Wallace said. “Prince Edward County is a very unique municipality, and while not without challenges, I see incredible opportunity. I’m delighted to be a part of its future.”
The CAO recruitment committee and executive search firm Feldman Daxon Partners conducted a thorough search process over the past several months, which attracted applicants from across the country. Council unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation to appoint Wallace.
“We are thrilled Marcia has agreed to join us. She brings to the County a fresh perspective and a wealth of new ideas gleaned from her previous positions,” said Mayor Steve Ferguson. “Marcia’s extensive knowledge of local municipalities and her policy background will allow her to find creative ways to tackle complex issues. We are confident that she will provide outstanding leadership across the corporation.”
In her role as assistant deputy minister, Wallace provided leadership to the division responsible for the ministry’s regional offices, the building code, and disaster recovery programs. Prior to this role, she led high profile policy and program initiatives at the ministries of Municipal Affairs, Housing, and Environment. Highlights from that work included designing site-specific solutions with municipalities in Central Ontario and sector-wide transformation of government services, in areas including brownfield redevelopment, energy projects, and environmental compliance approvals.
Wallace holds a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of Waterloo and is a Registered Professional Planner with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. She began her career as an assistant professor at York University in 1999 before joining the Ontario Public Service.
She continues to lecture in the Local Government Diploma Program at Western University in London, Ontario.
She will relocate to Prince Edward County and begin in the CAO position on Dec. 16.
Acting Chief Administrative Officer Robert McAuley announced earlier this year that he will retire at the end of 2019. He served in the role since April when the County and then CAO James Hepburn parted ways.
Filed Under: Local News
Nobody with experience touches this job without an iron clad contract given the history in the County. Will be quite an adjustment for a former ADM to get used to County governance.
I share Emily’s feelings on this. But to be fair to the new CAO, I think we have to wish her well and to give her a fair chance. Unfortunately, from experience, residents have lost confidence in our Council’s performance – and not in any of the CAOs who were poorly treated by them. Let’s hope that Council will allow this person to do her job in the manner that a good CAO can.
I am more concerned in regards to the details of the contract. Given the short employment history of CAO’s I would expect an exit clause would be significant once again upon the taxpayer.
Ms. Wallace looks like an outstanding choice. Congratulations to Council for conducting such a professional selection process.