A new year will bring in new leadership for the Town of Beaverlodge. Karen Gariepy will fill its open Chief Administrative Officer position on January 2, 2019.
Gariepy has been the Crime Prevention Program Manager for the City of Grande Prairie for several years. However, she says her new job will be a homecoming for her as she lived in Beaverlodge from 1995 to 2004.
“This has always been one of my goals throughout my entire career; I’ve worked for municipal government for the past 30 years and Beaverlodge is also near and dear to my heart.”
A move to the town isn’t necessarily in Gariepy’s immediate plans, but she maintains she’ll consider one in the next couple of years. Taking over as CAO, she says she’s going in with an open mind.
“I know that there will be some learning curves but I am prepared and I’m open to it; hopefully my connections throughout other communities in the province can help me out to move this community forward.”
The CAO position has been open for the past six months. Town council documents show Bill McKennan’s last council meeting was May 28th but a reason for his departure has not been given publicly.
McKennan was appointed interim CAO in July 2015, when former CAO Chris Parker resigned. He was officially given the job that November.