West Kelowna CAO Paul Gipps speaking to the UBCM about the McDougall Creek Wildfire is now taking on the CAO role with Lake Country.
Image Credit: YouTube
December 20, 2023 - 12:36 PM
After more than four years as the head bureaucrat with the City of West Kelowna, Paul Gipps will become the new CAO of the District of Lake Country.
The switch was announced today, Dec. 20, in a Lake Country press release and will take effect Feb. 12.
Gipps replaces Tanya Garost who left last summer for a similar job in Saskatchewan and Leslie Groulx who filled in as acting CAO in the interim.
Lake Country is the fastest growing community in the Okanagan but has been plagued by a backlog in processing development applications that, in some cases, have taken years before getting approved.
READ MORE: How Lake Country plans to double its housing stock
That may be one reason Gipps got the job.
“Not only does he have a significant number of years of experience in the CAO role, but he started his working career as a red seal journeyman carpenter and was a Registered Building Official with strong relationships in the development and construction industry,” Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland said in a news release.
“So, he recognizes the importance of building a development team and organizational culture that demonstrates agility in welcoming and supporting the right development in Lake Country.”
Gipps was hired in West Kelowna in July 2019, leaving his job as CAO of the Fraser Valley Regional District. According to the City of West Kelowna news release at that time, Gipps had 30 years of experience in local government.
“I am looking forward to joining Lake Country," Gipps said in the Lake Country news release. "Communities are diverse and solutions need to fit the community. Connecting with business, neighbourhoods, our First Nation neighbours, community associations, and leveraging strong provincial and federal networks are key to achieving the best community outcomes. Our local government organization is only as strong as our community relationships.”
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