City of Powell River’s new chief administrative officer (CAO) Lisa Bhopalsingh brings with her work experiences well-suited to the city’s strategic directions.
Bhopalsingh, currently the director of community development with City of Nanaimo, said she has a portfolio that includes housing and affordable housing, homelessness and long-range planning for the city. She is also responsible for sustainability, which involves climate change, energy and emissions reduction work. Reconciliation initiatives for the city are also part of her job responsibility in Nanaimo.
Bhopalsingh said local government is perhaps the most responsive form of government.
“The city is very quick to know if water, sewer, garbage and roads are not functioning well,” said Bhopalsingh. “Beyond that, there is influence on land use, and things that are important to people, from sustainability to climate change.
“I'm a big believer in civic governance.”
Bhopalsingh will begin her responsibilities for City of Powell River in mid-September. Her first function will be to assist city council members at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention in Vancouver, which will provide an opportunity for her to get face time with the community’s leadership. She will assume her office in Powell River after the convention.
Under the leadership of interim chief administrative officer Tom Day, the city retained the services of consultant George Cuff, who recommended a change in structure to the single employee model, where the CAO is the conduit between city council and city staff. Bhopalsingh embraces the model.
“I'm very familiar with George Cuff and his philosophy, and his work in structuring or restructuring or confirming good governance across local governments in BC,” said Bhopalsingh. “For people who are less familiar with local government, they're well aware that there are many employees who serve the community of Powell River. What George, and what Tom have advocated, and councillors supported, is the idea of a governance structure where the CAO is the single employee, directly reporting to council. From there, it's a bit like a pyramid, with the CAO supported by directors, then managers, and then staff. It means that there isn't confusion.
“Now, this doesn't mean that directors don't, and that managers don't present to council and have dialogue, but it means that the CAO is always in the loop. It keeps it simpler and more streamlined for council.”
Bhopalsingh said the model for governance will allow city council to remain focused on its strategic priorities.
“What it does is it really puts council in that governance piece so they stay very clearly focused on governing, not the operational pieces, which are my responsibility,” said Bhopalsingh.
When she gets here, Bhopalsingh said she wants to be responsive to the community, and acknowledges it can sometimes be difficult to reach consensus on issues.
“There's rarely unanimous consent among the community for any one direction, particularly on contentious issues, and so finding the processes and the ways of engaging and adapting, is important,” said Bhopalsingh.
She has been to the city on several occasions before her hiring. Bhopalsingh said she has come to Powell River via the Sunshine Coast route, as well as the Vancouver Island route, so she has seen the intricacies of travel to the community and its isolation.
While here, Bhopalsingh has been able to visit different areas of the city.
“I walked around downtown and enjoyed the waterfront, and enjoyed a couple of lovely restaurants that are downtown, and then I have also gone through the lovely heritage area just up from the mill; I thought it was like a mini-slice of heaven,” said Bhopalsingh. “I don't make moves like this lightly. I do a lot of research before considering a move.”
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