Jay Barbeau has announced he’s stepping down as West Nipissing’s Chief Administrative Office.
He’s held the position for 25 years, and during last Wednesday’s council meeting, he announced he has decided to retire at the end of this year. His last day will be on Dec. 19.
Barbeau said, “I had a great run, and I will continue to have a great run, as I look forward to working with this mayor and council over the year.”
His leaving marks the end of an era, the municipality noted in recent release. Mayor Kathleen Thorn Rochon emphasized, “The contributions of Mr. Barbeau to this organization cannot be underestimated. He has been here almost since amalgamation and has guided the community through that transition, with many successes along the way.”
She noted “That hiring a new CAO will be a significant process, and I want to thank Mr. Barbeau for giving us such a long runway to undertake this important task. We look forward to working with him in the coming year.”
Barbeau also reassured council and residents that he plans to get as much work done as possible, and complete as many projects as he can before the year ends. He told council “I’m happy to work with council in any way shape or form to help in the transition process.”
“It’s been a true privilege and incredibly fulfilling to serve this community,” Barbeau added.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.