The Town of Athabasca's council voted on Sept. 20 to accept Warren Zyla's resignation from the position of interim CAO as of Oct. 7, or earlier if he wishes to leave sooner. Coun.
The Town of Athabasca's council voted on Sept. 20 to accept Warren Zyla's resignation from the position of interim CAO as of Oct. 7, or earlier if he wishes to leave sooner.
Coun. Tim Verhaeghe made the motion, which also included a clause that said council would approach and appoint Doug Topinka as the interim CAO, if Topinka is willing to take the position. Mayor Roger Morrill and Coun. Steve Schafer supported the motion; Coun. Shelly Gurba voted against it. The other members of council were absent from the vote.
Council voted that Zyla - the town's parks foreman - was to become the interim CAO on Aug. 15.
More: Warren Zyla, new interim town CAO
“We're coming up to budget time and year-end, and we need somebody who is qualified to deal with those things, ” Zyla said in an interview last Friday.
“It's actually been a really good experience, ” he added. “I've learned a lot. It's interesting. It's a totally different world than I'm used to. ”
Topinka is the town's former CAO. He retired in July 2012.
Last Thursday, Morrill said he had briefly spoken to Topinka the day before. He said was setting up a meeting, which would be held after the Advocate's press deadline. A special meeting may be called this week as well, Morrill said.
Gurba said she thinks her vote says it all, pointing out that the payout Topinka received from the town when he left, “left a sour taste in people's mouths. ”
“It was all above-board; it is what it is, ” she said. “We do need someone in there to take on the task of CAO. ”
Coun. Joanne Peckham said she thought that it would be pleasant working with Topinka, noting his good working relationship with town staff.
“I did work under Mr. Topinka on my first term of council in 2001, ” she said. “He's very serious, and he runs a tight ship. He knows what he's doing. ”
Nevertheless, Peckham - who noted that she had to leave the meeting because of a work-related phone call - said she would have voted against the motion had she been in chambers.
“Sometimes, even if I think it's good, if I'm hearing from the masses that it's not and consequences that could result, I'm going to be the voice for the people, ” she said.
She also said Zyla was the perfect fit for the short-term CAO position.
“He's just such a nice guy and such a solid worker - and a dedicated employee to this town, ” she said. “I can't praise him enough for the admirable job that he did. ”
