Duckworth wants city's CAO position

By Jeremy Deutsch - Kamloops This Week Published: January 20, 2012 9:00 AM

As the process to find a new CAO to lead Kamloops gets underway, one familiar name has jumped into the race.  David Duckworth, the city's director of public works and sustainability, confirmed he will submit his name to replace outgoing CAO Randy Diehl. "It's been a career goal of mine for 20 years now," he told KTW. Duckworth will likely get a good look from the hiring committee. He's worked for the city for nine years; before then, he worked for the City of Vancouver. He also has a master's degree in business administration. Duckworth said becoming the CAO is the next evolution in his career, but added he expects to be competing against a talented group of candidates. Diehl announced this month he will retire on May 1. Meantime, the city has laid out the process to find the new CAO. The city's human-resources department has posted the position, while council agreed to hire an "external human-resources consultant" to help in the interview process. Mayor Peter Milobar said the consultant isn't a head hunter charged with bringing names forward, but someone who will help formulate questions for the interview process. An internal committee composed of the mayor, a newly elected councillor and an incumbent councillor, will create an interview list and conduct first interviews with successful candidates. The two councillors will be chosen at the city council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Following the first interviews, a short list of candidates will be recommended to council, followed by a second round of interviews with the entire group of politicians participating. Though there is no timeline to have a new CAO in place, Milobar suggested he would like someone in the job by the time Diehl leaves. "We don't have the luxury of tons of time, but there is enough time to run a proper process and make sure it's done right," he said. Diehl worked for the city for 23 years, including 12 as the CAO. Before joining the city, he worked as a land planner and social worker. As for what comes after May 1, Diehl has said he simply wants to spend more time with his family — and perhaps lower his golf handicap.