Haldimand County CAO announces retirement; acting CAO appointed
At the February 16 Special Council Meeting, Haldimand County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Craig Manley informed Council of his intention to retire at the end of May. Manley has been employed with the County at senior positions since 2007 with the last four years as the CAO. The CAO is appointed by Council and is the head of the County Administration and the key link between staff and Council.
“After 37 years in the workforce it is time to transition to a new phase in my life journey – to spend more time with my family, to travel and to pursue my hobbies. I have been most fortunate to have been able to work in my chosen professional discipline, to have had the opportunity to learn, grow and progress over the years and to have a career that has been meaningful and fulfilling. Haldimand County has been a wonderful place to work and it has been most rewarding to see the community prosper, grow and add services and facilities that improve the quality of life for our residents and businesses. With Council having completed its orientation process, its strategic planning objectives for the council term and the annual budgeting process it is an appropriate time to make this transition. I would like to thank the successive Councils I’ve worked with for their support and collegiality. I am leaving knowing the County is in good hands both at the Council and at the administration level.”
Mayor Shelley Bentley thanked Craig for his 15 years of service with the County and the recent work done to help the new Council acclimate to their new roles. “Craig’s experience, advice and leadership has been very much appreciated by both myself as a new Mayor and by all members of Council. He’s been an invaluable part of Haldimand County for many years as a steady, guiding voice that has seen our community through some of its toughest times. I know I speak for many of us here when I say that his wealth of knowledge and insight will be sorely missed, and that we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.“
At this same meeting, Council also appointed Cathy Case as the Acting CAO upon Manley’s departure with that role becoming permanent effective October 1, 2023 subject to a performance review and negotiation of an employment contract. Case is a life-long resident of the County and is currently the General Manager of Corporate and Social Services and has significant experience in municipal governance.
Mayor Bentley noted “We are fortunate to have a strong management team in Haldimand and a positive work culture. In order to ensure a smooth transition and a continued positive trajectory for our community Council felt it was important to look within the organization as a first priority to ensure a continuity of management style and approach to working with Council.’
Over the next four months Manley and Case will be working together to ensure a seamless transition with Manley’s last day occurring on May 31.
