The Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission (MVRWMC) has appointed a new interim CAO following the recent resignation of two of its leaders, say officials.
According to Mary Anne Overwater, the acting chair of the commission, the now-former chair Sandi Roberts resigned on Oct. 15 and Al Graham resigned as CAO on Oct. 20.
Overwater said she didn't know why Roberts resigned from her position.
As for Graham, Overwater said he resigned on his own accord but added she was “not at liberty to say what his grounds were.”
The commission coordinates the management and disposal of solid waste for Mountain View County, Olds, Sundre, Carstairs, Didsbury and Cremona. It is managed by a board of directors appointed by the communities' municipal councils.
Pat Sliworsky was appointed the interim CAO in Graham's place.
Roberts and Sliworsky could not be reached for comment at press time.
The two resignations were discussed at the commission's recent board of directors meeting in addition to a couple of other matters.
The commission also bought a 2015 Freightliner for $265,000, which was delivered in July. The truck will be used for rural waste pickup.
The vehicle replaces an older one scheduled to be replaced more than five years ago, Overwater said.
“We didn't really have a whole lot of choice as to not going ahead with the purchase,” she said.
The commission also discussed a revenue shortage from companies who hand over contaminated soil to be used as ground cover for landfills.
So far, the commission has only received $180,000 from two companies, Ridgeline and Quantum, less than the expected $570,000.
The board of directors also extended the commission's line of credit to cover operating costs.
Overwater said they usually run on a $100,000 line of credit but that amount increased to $400,000.
Lastly, she said Sliworsky is in the process of gathering quotes to replace the door at the Olds transfer site.
The door had been backed into and will not close.
“It's a hazard, it's a work issue, winter is coming and it's going to get pretty darn cold in there,” Overwater said.
Mountain View County deputy reeve Patricia McKean is the county's representative on the commission.
Asked if she had any comment on the resignation of Roberts and Sliworsky, she said. “I guess my comment is I'm hopeful that we will get back on our feet and be able to proceed.”
She said the commission is now working on its 2015 budget.
“We are working through the budget. We need to make sure our revenues are covering our expenses going forward,” she said.
The MVRWMC oversees the operation of recycling centres, waste transfer stations, a resource recovery station, and the landfill outside Didsbury.
