The City of Revelstoke today announced the appointment of a new senior manager at city hall, naming Dean Strachan as the Manager of Development Services.
Strachan fills a new position created following the city hall restructuring program announced in June of 2013.
That restructuring plan erased the planning director position and amalgamated the planning and engineering departments under Mike Thomas, who is the Director of Engineering and Development Services – a new combined department.
Much of the responsibilities of the former planning director will now be split between engineering director Thomas and Strachan.
The renaming of the department from 'planning' to 'development services' is intentional: the city is trying to put forward a more development-friendly agenda.
A Nov. 19 media release from the City of Revelstoke said Strachan is a registered professional planner. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and has completed a two-year Urban Design Planning Program, amongst other post-graduate qualifications.
Strachan worked as a development planner for the City of Vernon prior to his appointment in Revelstoke.
In a prepared statement, mayor David Raven welcomed Strachan: “We welcome Dean to the development services team and look forward to his pragmatic and efficient approach to the development approvals.”
The city's Director of Engineering and Development Services said Strachan will be handling day-to-day matters.
“This key position will provide day-to-day direction for all planning and building related activities in the city and guidance for the city in planning matters including the zoning bylaw, heritage strategy and the official community plan," Thomas said. "We are excited to welcome Dean to our energetic, diverse and progressive community and we look forward to the expertise that Dean will bring to the organization”
Strachan starts on Nov. 28.