The City of Revelstoke has filled the second of three senior staff vacancies, hiring Nigel Whitehead to take over the planning department.
Whitehead has been hired as the city's director of development services, effective April 3. He was given an upgraded title from his predecessor, Dean Strachan, who's carried the lesser role of manger.
"I am excited about this new opportunity and look forward to working with the community in tackling the city's development challenges and opportunities," stated Whitehead in a news release. "The Revelstoke lifestyle is a huge draw for myself and wife and we are eager to settle into this stunning location."
The move means Mike Thomas, who was previously in charge of development and engineering, can now focus solely on engineering.
Whitehead comes to Revelstoke from Dawson Creek, where he worked as the senior city planner for the past two years. There, he supervised a staff of 10 and helped lead an Official Community Plan review an a Comprehensive Development Plan for a boundary extension review.
The experiences should come in handy in Revelstoke, which is also planning an OCP review and a boundary extension study, on top of revising its zoning bylaw. He will also have to work on new vacation rental policies and oversee major new developments like Mackenzie Village, the proposed Treehouse Hotel, and more.
"With his experience in current and long-range planning, Mr. Whitehead is well suited to take up the challenges of development services and community planning in Revelstoke," said the city in a news release.
Whitehead also worked as a planner for Williams Lake and for the Cariboo Regional District. He holds a Bachelor of Planning from the University of Northern British Columbia and is a candidate member of the Canadian Institute of Planners.
"We look forward to welcoming Nigel to our organization and community," stated Allan Chabot, the city's Chief Administrative Officer. "The city is currently experiencing development growth, interest and investment at levels not seen in the recent past and I am confident that Nigel will be able to effectively manage the challenges that presents along with the development services team."
The appointment comes a few weeks after Nicole Fricot was named the new city's director of economic development. The city still needs to hire a finance director.