Wednesday July 26, 2023 | SOOKE, BC [Updated August 31, 2023 & UPDATED October 24, 2023 – acceptance of the CAO position has been rescinded — see October 24, 2023 article ]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The District of Sooke has brought on a new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), who is originally from the west shore region and now back home.
The top job is now filled by Jeremy Denegar. Denegar brings 16 years of municipal government experience, most recently as CAO with the District of Lillooet. He will start in the post on September 5, 2023. [Update: Denegar will start as CAO on October 16, 2023, due to an unexpected death in the family.]
Over the course of his career, Denegar worked as the Director of Corporate Services with the District of Summerland and the Manager of Information Technology with the Township of Esquimalt. Before transitioning into local government, he co-founded NOVUS Consulting, serving as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for more than a decade at the company which steered businesses towards becoming more agile organizations.
“Having grown up in Greater Victoria and the Western Communities, and regularly spending time with family and friends in Sooke, I am elated to return home after many years gaining municipal experience across the Province,” said Denegar in the District of Sooke news release.
“I am excited – and honoured – to have the opportunity to work with Mayor and Council in achieving the District of Sooke’s vision in a joint effort with community members, First Nations, and stakeholders,” says Denegar.
Mayor Tait is enthusiastic:
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Denegar join our team as CAO at this pivotal point in Sooke’s history. His experience in municipal government and proven leadership skills with fresh ideas, and a commitment to community and collaboration will serve us well,” said Mayor Maja Tait in a news release July 25.
Tait has been Sooke’s mayor since 2014. She is in the process of shifting political direction toward being the next federal NDP candidate for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke.
Hiring the top staffer for a municipality is a significant administrative task, but the selection of the best candidate for the job also filters through the policy directions of a current elected council.
Growing community, by the sea:
The population of the District of Sooke has grown steadily since they started attracting people from larger cities in the mid-2000s. In 2007 the population was barely 10,000 compared to today where it’s about 16,000 — an expansion of more than half. Housing and services are challenged to keep up.
The area still retains a strong rural component and has a fairly unique relationship to forest and sea, embracing that vision in the District of Sooke coat of arms together with colours acknowledging European first-contact from Spain and settlers from Scotland.
The recent completion of widening and straightening Highway 14 will likely assist community development; that route is still essentially one-way-in and one-way-out for Sooke, but is now considered to be a safer drive.
Previous CAO:
The previous District of Sooke CAO was Norm McInnis, who left the job last year for health reasons. In the meantime, Don Schaffer has been the interim CAO.
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends is the evolution of the former MapleLine Magazine and Sooke Voice News that were both spawned in Sooke. In 2014 the publication series morphed into West Shore Voice News, then in 2020 became the fully online IslandSocialTrends.ca.
The creator, editor and publisher of these regional news publications starting 2008 to present is Mary P Brooke. Ms Brooke also ran as a school trustee candidate in the Sooke School District (SD62) in 2022, on the Belmont Zone side (Langford, Colwood, Highlands and Metchosin).
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