Phyllis Carlyle will leave the RDN following expiration of her five year contract in October. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

CHANGE AT THE TOP

Regional District of Nanaimo conducting widespread search for new CAO

Jan 13, 2021 | 4:07 PM

NANAIMO — The Regional District of Nanaimo is preparing for a change at the top.

Current chief administrative officer Phyllis Carlyle told the RDN in the first half of 2020 she would not extend her five-year contract with the RDN, signed in October, 2016.

Tyler Brown, RDN board chair, told NanaimoNewsNOW they began a search with an outside firm to find her replacement.

“Ms. Carlyle has been very clear that in no situation is it her intention to leave us as a board in the lurch without a CAO…making sure the board and ultimately the region as a whole isn’t left without staffing leadership.”

Brown praised Carlyle’s professionalism during her tenure as the RDN’s top employee. He was unsure what Carlyle’s plans were after finishing her term.

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“She handles issues very methodically and we communicate fairly regularly on issues. She’s done a great job serving the board and helping us get to where we’re at on a lot of key items.”

A nine-member selection committee began identifying key values and skills required in December and will eventually open up for internal and external applications.

The goal is to have a new CAO in place by October, however exact timelines could be muddled by a number of factors including contract obligations of the new hire.

Brown added the new CAO will quickly have to adapt to the unique challenges the regional district offers.

“Nanaimo is very different than Bowser. Parksville…is different than the Coombs/Errington area, so that all needs to be balanced ultimately by the board but the CAO needs a good understanding of that.”

Prior to working in Nanaimo, Carlyle spent 12 years with the City of Richmond as the general manager of law and community safety.

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