After 35 years in local government work and two years as Summerland’s chief administrative officer, Tom Day will step down at the end of this year.
He said his decision will allow him to enjoy life and pursue other interests.
“Tom will be sadly missed,” said Mayor Janice Perrino. “He has been an outstanding CAO and a tremendous asset for the District of Summerland.”
Because Day’s retirement comes shortly after the new mayor and councillors take office, one of the first tasks the council will face will be hiring a new administrator. The new council will also appoint the acting administrator until a replacement is hired.
Search consultants were brought in two years ago when Day was hired. The search for an administrator took four months.
During his time as Summerland’s administrator, he said he has improved the processes at municipal hall, increased accessibility and tightened the budget. In addition, he was involved in trimming the staff when cuts were made in January. The cuts came because of the community’s slow growth rate, low reserve funds and a lack of public infrastructure projects. The reduction of six jobs was expected to save nearly $500,000.
“It’s such a difficult decision affecting that many lives,” Day said.
While he said the cuts were necessary, the decisions resulted in additional work for the rest of municipal staff. Day said after 30 years in local government he is looking forward to enjoying life and pursuing other interests.
