A familiar face is soon to be replaced.
County of Barrhead manager Mark Oberg announced he was going to step down and would be retiring from municipal administrative work at the end of the meeting on Sept. 6 — his last day will be December 16, and explained that he would be focusing his energies on municipal government consultation work. To that end, it is difficult to consider county council meetings or events without Oberg’s presence.
As reeve Bill Lee suggested in the cover story of the Sept. 13 edition of the Barrhead Leader, Oberg often went out of his way to find answers to his fellow resident’s concerns, and he treated council in a similar manner.
He wasn’t one to shirk responsibility and will certainly be missed, especially by the councillors he worked for.
As chief administrative officer, the fact that Oberg has worked with three separate councils during his time with the county shows the level of competence he brought to the table, and it highlights his ability to work with councillors to build a consensus on issues brought to their attention.
To put it into perspective, Westlock County is currently on its sixth manager (including intern managers) since the last municipal election in 2013.
For a career that began with a posting in Gibbons, and later, as the manager of the County of Barrhead in 2009, Oberg has brought an easy going and a calm demeanour to council deliberations – a fact that multiple members of the Barrhead Leader’s editorial staff can attest to.
We wish him luck and good health in all of his future endeavours.
The county may need a new manager in the New Year, but change is good and when it comes to the question of retirement, everyone deserves the opportunity to do so at their own pace.
In the meantime however, if you think you’ve got the necessary experience and background, maybe you should consider contacting the county office.
Undoubtedly, there are procedures to follow, but it never hurts to find out if you’re interested in the job.
