Grey Highlands is shopping around for a new CAO, but some residents feel there is no need.
Kelley Coulter resigned to take a similar position in Tillsonburg on December 7th.
Council decided to advertise for a new CAO with a salary range of 90 to 104 thousand dollars.
At a recent council meeting, some residents urged Grey Highlands council to leave the position open.
A number complained that the size of the staff has grown significantly since the amalgamation of Artemesia, Euphrasia, Osprey Townships along with Markdale to form Grey Highlands in 2000.
Mayor Brian Mullin disagrees that the size of the staff has grown significantly. He says only a few positions have been added.
Mullin also feels Grey Highlands needs a new CAO because many department heads are young with not a lot of experience so he says they need a leader.
The Grey Highlands Mayor admits they will be under pressure to keep taxes down in 2010 because of a cutback in provincial funding, but he doesn’t want senior staff jobs eliminated as a cost cutting move.