Selwyn Township has entered into the process of finding a new Chief Administrative Officer as current CAO Janice Lavalley has given notice of retirement next June.
At the Dec. 9 regular township meeting, HR coordinator, Kim Berry, presented council with the options of moving forward with finding a replacement.
Berry told council that the CAO is the only Township position that reports directly to Council, making this recruitment one of the most significant responsibilities Council will undertake.
She said that the CAO is responsible for implementing Council’s decisions and sets the tone for the entire management team at the township.
There were three options Berry presented that council consider for the recruitment of a new CAO to replace Lavalley after her retirement on Jun 30, 2026.
• Option 1: Use In-House Resources: Township staff manage and coordinate the entire recruitment process, including but not limited to advertising, search strategy, screening, interviewing and reference checks. While there would be no direct costs for this option there would be about $1000 cost for advertising the job posting. Berry told council that while this option allows for the costs to remain low, there would need to be a significant time commitment from staff. Her report mentioned that while option one allows for familiarity with organizational culture, there would be a risk of perceived bias or confidentiality concerns.
• Option 2: Hybrid Approach – Hire a Third-Party Advisor to Support Township Council & Staff: Township staff coordinate the process but engage a third-party advisor for support at specific steps of the recruitment process, such as developing a recruitment strategy, screening applications, advising on interview framework and assessment tools, conducting interviews, reference and background checks. This option would also need about $1000 for advertising of the position but would also require between $15,000 and $20,000 to hire the advisor support.According to Berry’s report, this option would be beneficial as it would add third party expertise, support at key stages of the recruitment process and add credibility to the whole process. That being said, it does come with come challenges including coordinating availability between staff and the advisor, possible delayed start to the process due to the need for defined responsibilities to decrease risk of work duplication between staff and the advisor, and the significant cost /time commitment for staff to coordinate the process and manage the workload.
• Option 3: Full Outsourcing to a Recruitment Firm (Consultant): A specialized firm manages the entire recruitment process, from advertising to final candidate recommendations. This option is the most expensive with a full-service executive search costing anywhere between $20,000 - $30,000
Berry Is recommending option three as it offers the most benefits and least amount of challenges.
Her report stated that through a full outsourcing option for recruitment of a new CAO, they would have access to an extensive network, including passive candidates. It would also offer: professional handling of confidentiality and compliance, proven methodologies for executive recruitment, predictable timelines and reduced workload for township staff, and follows best practices.
It was also mentioned in the report that typically, agreements will include terms to cover instances where the search is unsuccessful, and the successful candidate leaves the municipality for any reason before a predetermined period.
The challenges with option three would be the high cost and would require a careful election of a suitable firm to outsource the recruitment process to.
Berry told council that she has reached out to many municipalities across Ontario to gather best practices for CAO recruitment. The report said that most of the municipalities that had answered her said they fully outsourced the recruitment process to a recruitment firm and reported being very satisfied with the service provided. Her report stated that they viewed this approach as a worthwhile investment to ensure the selection of a highly qualified and well-suited CAO.
Option three also offers the best overall value for the Township when comparing estimated cost.
It was mentioned during the council meeting at whatever option council chose, they would be involved in the hiring process.
Council approved moving forward with option three and the process of finding a firm was started in December for recruitment process to start January 2026.
