Town hires new manager

The town yesterday chose Doug Brown to be the new Operations and Facilities manager after former manager Pat Hickerson resigned from the position last month.
He will start July 28.
“We did a national advertising campaign, with notices in the Globe and Mail and various municipal Web sites,” said Human Resources manager Christine Ruppenstein.
“We tried to get as many applicants as possible to find the best person for the job, and we ended up receiving 50-60 applications,” she added, noting the personnel selection committee that made the final decision anticipates Brown will be “a great asset to the corporation.”^Most recently having worked as the manager of the Works and Operations Department for the Town of Marathon, Brown was raised in Atikokan.
Ruppenstein noted that while his birthplace wasn’t necessarily a factor in hiring him for the job, Brown’s transition here should be easy since he has ties in Atikokan and here.
He received his education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, where he received his degree in civil engineering. Brown then started his career as a construction project engineer at the Williams Mine Site in Hemlo, Ont.
After that, he moved to Marathon.
In his role as manager of the Works and Operations Department there, Brown was responsible for engineering design and project administration, and the Operations Division, which included water treatment, sewer and water systems, waste, roadways, recreation, and cemetery operations.
He also functioned as co-administrator for an extended period of time.
He has 12 years of municipal and management experience.
Brown will be relocating with his wife, Joanne, who is a teacher, and his two children, Dustin and Emily, who are involved in hockey and swimming.
In his free time, Brown enjoys coaching hockey, golf, jogging, hunting, and fishing.
Hickerson resigned and worked his last day in early May, relocating to a job as an engineering consultant in British Columbia. Superintendent of Works (Facilities) Bruce Spottiswood has assumed this role on an interim basis until a replacement was hired.
In related news, the town still is looking to hire a new treasurer as Diane Pearson will be leaving the position as of July 11 and moving to the Town of Black River- Matheson in northeastern Ontario.
She starts her new job there as CAO/treasurer in August.
The deadline for applications for this position is this Friday.