FORT ERIE, July 31, 2012 – Fort Erie’s search for a new Chief Administrative Officer is back on.
After an extensive evaluation process, the Town extended an offer of employment to an external candidate in mid-July. However, the offer has now been withdrawn after the Town and the candidate were unable to come to terms on an employment agreement.
Council will meet in early September to consider its options. In the meantime, Ron Tripp will continue to serve as Interim CAO, a position he assumed in August 2011. The search for a new Chief Administrative Officer began last fall following the resignation of Harry Schlange who accepted a position with an Ottawa-area provider of medical laboratory services.
Our interim CAO, Ron Tripp has been SPOT ON everytime we engaged him in business meetings throughout the years and he has all the qualifications we, the business community and residents are looking for! His Engineering background and organizational skills should be appreciated and the fact he lives in town gives him that added support from many town’s people! Stop this search for other candidates now and get on with the real needs of this town!
So, if you don’t want to hire someone who was willing to step up to the plate and do the job, when someone else jumped ship, then make sure it is part of the job prerequisite that the person you do hire has to live within the boundaries of Greater Fort Erie. At least that way we have hope that they will perform their job for the betterment of our Town and not just come on board to collect a paycheque. The staff of Fort Erie work really ahrd for their Town and they need to know that they are appreciated.