OLDS — Mayor Judy Dahl has fond memories of former Town of Olds chief administrative officer Norm McInnis.
McInnis passed away on July 30 after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Corey, children and granddaughter.
McInnis served as CAO of Olds for nine years before taking the same job with Fernie, B.C. and later Sooke, B.C., before stepping aside in March 2023, due to his health.
Before coming to Olds, McInnis, who was raised in Olds, served as the CAO in Westlock.
“Norm was loyal and committed with an open-door to council, staff and community,” Dhal wrote in an email.
“He was sensitive, in that he placed his family and career first, while supporting his choice to serve and position himself within his community.”
While McInnis was CAO in Westlock, Dahl came across him during an Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) meeting.
“I believe Norm followed his perfect plan in life,” she wrote. “He introduced himself to me and said ‘I am going to be the CAO of Olds some day.’ He had a kind, peaceful approach that made me sense his willingness to experience life.”
Dahl noted that while in Olds, McInnis involved himself in the community, including as a referee and a Rotarian. He continued that involvement in the other communities he lived and worked in.
She said in Olds, McInnis was among many who were instrumental in creation of the new École Olds High School/Community Learning Campus and the Sportsplex, to name a few.
Dahl said personally, she admired his passion for guiding creation of the Olds Strategic Sustainability Plan (OSSP). She described that undertaking as a "collaborative process involving 200 citizens."
The fact that McInnis was able to serve as CAO in his own hometown was unusual, Dahl said.
“Norm was born and raised in Olds and it is not common for a CAO to return home to their birth place with their entire family to take on leadership of the community,” she wrote.
“He set his standards high with the right opportunity and all the necessary skills to successfully relocate back to Olds.”
The community of Sooke issued a release upon McInnis’s passing.
“Norm was more than a dedicated public servant; he was a pillar of our community who will forever be intertwined with the spirit of Sooke,” the statement said.
“He took immense pride in his role as a public servant and community builder, exemplifying an unwavering commitment to service and collaboration that left an indelible mark on the people of Sooke and in every community he served.”
In tribute to McInnis, flags were flown at half-mast in Sooke until Aug. 5.
