WESTLOCK - Less than two weeks after accepting the resignation of CAO Dwight Dibben, the Town of Westlock has already found a new chief administrator, and she was right under their noses this entire time.
Simone Wiley, who has been filling in for Dibben, in an interim role since he left the position on medical leave in February, was named the new CAO after in-camera discussions of town council at its Nov. 25 meeting, effective immediately.
Council accepted Dibben’s resignation from the position as of Nov. 15.
“I’m excited to take on the challenge,” said Wiley. “I’ve been in the town for five years now and I didn’t want to leave.”
Wiley has been Westlock’s director of development services since arriving from High Level in 2015, but has experience in nearly all municipal departments including finance and corporate services.
Since the departure of Dean Krause in January 2018, who she actually worked under with the Town of High Level, Wiley has been interim CAO for a total of 13 months, so she’s familiar with the position.
“I don’t anticipate a lot of changes at this point in time. If one is going to make the jump into a CAO role, it’s nice to do it in a familiar municipality … I may as well do it in a municipality that I enjoy being in and love and has a great council. They’ve been gracious enough to give me that opportunity,” she said.
“Based on her performance as director of development services and her success in multiple roles over the last few years, I’m very pleased to announce Simone Wiley as the new CAO of the Town of Westlock, effective Nov. 25,” said mayor Ralph Leriger.
“She is hard-working, plays a very positive role in the organization and has our complete respect.”
A role in municipal government, or as chief administrator of a municipality, isn’t necessarily something one dreams about becoming as a child, Wiley said, but with Krause as a mentor in High Level and the experience she gained there in numerous roles, including interim CAO, she’s been preparing for this role for the last seven or eight years.
“I have worked my way through municipal government. I started out as a receptionist. The opportunities that are afforded people in the north are a bit different and if you’re willing to work hard and be observant and diligent in your job, you could move up because they don’t have the same volume of people lining up for those positions.”
Looking ahead and past the day-to-day challenges of running a municipality, Wiley foresees the climate in the provincial government being a challenge for all municipalities in the coming years, with the expected loss of some granting programs.
She cited specifically the Summer Temporary Employment Program that allowed the town to hire several students over the summer with a percentage of their wages being paid for by the province. Fine revenues are also being reduced, she said. Reduced tax-in-lieu from provincial buildings in the town are also decreasing.
“It’s not hitting us as hard as some others, but it’s still going to have an impact on a small community,” said Wiley.
One of her first responsibilities will be finding a replacement for herself as director of development services. She’s looking for a jack-of-all-trades of sorts, after all she is replacing herself. A position like that in a smaller organization allows that person to work in several departments simultaneously, an opportunity not afforded in larger centres.
As director of development services, Wiley oversaw the peace officer and economic development officer, she oversaw the GIS and mapping and asset management program as well.
“I just want to reiterate that I’m really happy to still be in the Town of Westlock and to have the opportunity to take my first leap, and make that career transition into a CAO role, in such a great organization with a fantastic council that’s willing to support me work together towards the same goal.”
