After 14 exceptional years of service with the City of Cranbrook, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Wayne Staudt will officially retire with his final day being Thursday, March 24.

Staudt, who moved to Cranbrook in 1978, was officially sworn in as Chief Administrative Officer on October 22, 2012, replacing former CAO Will Pearce. Staudt first joined the administration of the city in 2002 as the Director of Finance. The current council is the sixth that Staudt has worked with during his time with the City of Cranbrook, with Mayor Lee Pratt being the fourth mayor.

“Wayne was gracious enough to postpone his retirement and continue to work with the new mayor and council,” said Mayor Lee Pratt. “Administration then had the opportunity to be proactive and begin the recruitment of his replacement in 2016.”

As CAO, Staudt believes moving the City’s Asset Management Plan forward, thanks to the hard work of many other city staff, was one of the most significant accomplishments during his tenure, because it will help councils determine infrastructure priorities.

Another key highlight was the successful $2.8 million grant through the federal Gas Tax Fund for the replacement of the Idlewild Lake dam and the planned rehabilitation of the park. Completion of the new fire hall and training centre for the fire department and the successful conclusion of a number of important legal cases are also high on Staudt’s list of accomplishments.

During his time as Director of Finance, Staudt noted several key initiatives including: the termination of the P3 agreement with Keen Rose at the Rec Plex, now Western Financial Place; construction of the new library; the new air terminal building and expansion of the runway at the Canadian Rockies International Airport and leading the city’s budget process for a decade prior to being named CAO.

“I would like to thank Mayor Pratt and his councillors for the confidence they have shown in me as a new council in 2014,” Staudt said. “I have enjoyed working with all of the mayors and councils over the years and have tremendous appreciation for the contributions each has made to the city’s sustainability and the quality of life enjoyed by its residents.”

“Wayne’s knowledge of city affairs and legislative procedure were very helpful to us in some of the decisions we made over the past year,” Mayor Pratt added. “Wayne’s patience and understanding was invaluable to us in many ways. I have enjoyed working with him. We wish Wayne all the best in his retirement activities along with good health and happiness.”

“One person can’t accomplish much on his own,” Staudt added, “so the success I have enjoyed at the city is due to the significant contributions of council and staff at all levels.”

Administration continues the recruitment process to replace Staudt as CAO and is hopeful for an announcement in the near future.

City of Cranbrook

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