NORD administrator moving on

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: November 06, 2008

The face of the North Okanagan Regional District will change after civic elections, but it’s also losing its senior bureaucrat. Administrator Brian Reardon has given the board notice that he will leave at the end of the year to take up duties as chief administrative officer of the new Strathcona Regional District in Campbell River. “The opportunity to start a brand new regional district and put my mark on a new organization is very attractive,” said Reardon. His departure will come just a few weeks after a new NORD board is sworn in. Four directors are retiring and others may be gone if they aren’t re-elected in their respective communities Nov. 15. “The timing is never good for these changes but there are people within the organization that can take the reins on an interim basis,” said Reardon. A hiring process was approved by the board Wednesday, and it will include directors Herman Halvorson and Eric Foster, who were acclaimed to office in their communities. Other directors will be appointed following the elections. Halvorson is confident that a new administrator can be found. “There’s a lot of good people out there and it will depend on who wants to apply,” he said.

It’s expected that the City of Vernon will have a seat on the recruitment committee, partly because it provides funding for a large chunk of the NORD budget. “The city also needs to have good lines of communications with the regional district. There is a lot of assistance we can provide back and forth with each other,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert, who sits on the NORD board. Reardon began with NORD 11 years ago, filling a number of positions until being named interim administrator after the departure of CAO Barry Gagnon in early 2006. In September 2006, he was named full-time administrator. Much of the focus since then was governance issues especially in terms of how Greater Vernon functions operate. “It was turbulent at times but it was always democracy in action,” said Reardon. Reardon admits that it was a tough decision to leave. “I will miss the people and the relationships I’ve formed,” he said of NORD staff, politicians and the community.

Lippert has strong praise for Reardon. “As much as it always seems like there is strife between the city and the regional district, we accomplished a lot. He’s been juggling a lot and done a good job,” said Lippert. Jerry Oglow, NORD chairman, understands Reardon’s decision to move to Vancouver Island, but says it will negatively impact the regional district here. “He’s done an exemplary job in moving the region through a number of initiatives. He’s a great team builder,” said Oglow. “It doesn’t surprise me that a region like Strathcona would offer him an opportunity like this.”