SUNDRE — Two new members of the municipality’s administrative team bring with them extensive background experience to their positions.
Justin Caslor, director of infrastructure, and Benazir Thaha Valencia, senior planner, have between the both of them a combined nearly 25 years of related work experience.
Caslor, who in 2001 moved to Edmonton from his home in Saskatchewan, earned a diploma from NAIT’s Civil Engineering Technology Program in 2012 and later obtained a certification in Professional Asset Management Planning. His professional background includes civil engineering consulting as well as nine years of municipal service in engineering, operations, and public works areas.
Having relocated to the Calgary area over the past year, Caslor started his new position with the Town of Sundre earlier in February.
As director of infrastructure, his responsibilities involve managing operations and community services.
“These are two very important areas that contribute greatly to the quality of life in Sundre,” he wrote by email in response to question from the Albertan.
“These areas include water, wastewater, solid waste, gas, roads, recreation, parks, and trails.”
Although still fairly early on into his new job, Caslor expressed enthusiasm and said he sees plenty of potential for development and growth.
“I am very impressed with the quality of staff, and I see lots of opportunity from the development side,” he said. “I look forward to improving the operational and capital planning processes.”
Additionally, he said he looks forward to work alongside the new council over the next four-year term on discussing and identifying goals, visions and priorities.
Caslor also expressed a sense of passion about being involved in a municipality’s capital and asset management planning process, which he called important in providing and maintaining quality public services.
“I enjoy being part of large projects that are beneficial to the public and provide a high quality of life,” he said. “Being part of that decision-making and seeing projects come to fruition is motivating.”
Senior planner
Thaha Valencia comes to Sundre as a registered professional planner of Alberta as well as a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners with a masters degree in planning that she obtained during her more than 15 years of experience working full-time at the City of Chestermere since 2005.
While she had also worked for a few months with Rocky View County prior to starting her latest position, Sundre's new senior planner told the Albertan during a phone interview that she attributes the bulk of her planning experience to her time in Chestermere, which she called a fast-growing community that prepared her well for the position in Sundre.
Although mostly raised in Alberta, her family relocated to Canada from Sri Lanka when she was five years old. First arriving in Montreal, they moved to Calgary about a year later.
Having started late in January, she said everything has gone well to date and continues getting to better know not only her department but also her new colleagues.
“Everyone’s been really welcoming and friendly,” she said.
Along the way, she’s also picking up what she can about Sundre’s history, and learning about local processes.
Among her primary roles will be overseeing and managing the operating and capital budgets for the planning and development department as per objectives outlined by council.
She looks forward to playing her part in helping Sundre grow, as well as working with a team that strives to provide exceptional service to residents and visitors.
“From what I understand, it is a growing community,” she said, adding there are some exciting and challenging projects ahead.
Aware of a variety of interested residential, commercial as well as industrial developers, she also looks forward to being involved in the effort to incentivize potential investors.
“We’re setting the stage for that,” she said, adding she’ll be coordinating closely with Caslor and the town’s engineers to ensure the ground work is laid for future development.
Enjoying a good challenge, Valencia said she likes dealing with new and interesting projects and people, as well as helping guide potential developers through processes and other land use applications.
Of course larger projects can take time, but the patience can pay off.
“When you get a high level application, it could be years before the land is shovelled,” she said, adding that seeing those efforts yield fruit is rewarding.
