The city is recruiting a new general manager of planning and engineering after Neil Jamieson resigned to accept a five-year term as a member of the Alberta Utilities Commission.
Jamieson learned Dec. 16 he’d been accepted to the provincial board and tendered his resignation the same day.
“I just thought this would be a unique opportunity to take advantage of and I’m excited about this new opportunity,” Jamieson said.
Jamieson spent three years with the city after serving seven as general manager of infrastructure with Parkland County. Trained as a civil engineer, Jamieson started his career in the private sector before moving on to the cities of Spruce Grove and Yellowknife.
“He’s performed well for us over the last three years and achieved a lot with us,” said St. Albert city manager Bill Holtby. “It’s really unfortunate to see him go but I can see that this is an opportunity of a lifetime to be sitting as a full-time board member on a provincial commission.”
The city has begun a nationwide search for Jamieson’s replacement.
“I anticipate it to be challenging, however we’ve always had good success in attracting really good people,” Holtby said.
St. Albert typically draws applicants for senior management positions from the staffs of other municipalities, Holtby said. The city has appeal to employees of smaller cities who are looking to move up or those from larger ones who are looking for more responsibility, he said.
“We get pretty well-seasoned and qualified individuals that we’ve been able to attract so I’m hopeful that we’ll have similar success in recruiting for Neil’s position,” he said.
The position is one of four that report directly to the city manager. The division includes 197 full-time staff in five city departments: transit, public works, planning and development, engineering and the office of the environment.
“It’s a very challenging position. You have to be a high-energy and well-seasoned professional to walk into that one,” Holtby said.
