By Raven Nyman
Village operating without CAO
The Village of Clinton is currently operating without a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and former Clinton CAO Tom Dall is temporarily filling the position for the community. Mayor and council have stated that they appreciate the public’s patience while they work through the recruiting process to hire a new CAO for the Village.
“We’re still looking,” says Mayor Susan Swan, who could not provide information about the departure of Clinton’s former CAO, Monika Shittek.
Swan did confirm that Shittek’s last day with the Village was on Sept. 6 and noted that Dall took over to fill in for the position just 10 days later, on Sept. 16.
The position of CAO is a big responsibility, says Swan, who said that the village has interviewed individuals for the job, but has not yet hired a new permanent employee for the position. Dall is acting as a temporary replacement, but with his past experience with the Village, Swan said it has been helpful to have him back.
“Having someone come in who has been here before was really beneficial. I was glad he was able do that. He knows where things left off and where things should be now.”
She isn’t sure exactly when a new permanent CAO will be determined, but says that council is continuing to search for the right fit.
“It depends on finding the correct person for the community,” she explains. “We’re working through the process and hoping to find someone who fits the community.”
Local restaurant closes for winter
The local hot-spot for Chinese food won’t be available to satisfy your cravings this winter, as the Gold Mountain restaurant will close its doors in Clinton until March 3, 2020. The restaurant closed for the season on Monday, Oct. 21.
The Cordial restaurant has also been shut down for months now with no signs of reopening, and the Cariboo Lodge, the community’s other primary stop for food — and accommodation — plans to stay open through the winter, but with reduced restaurant hours.
The Cariboo Lodge pub will continue to operate with its regular hours during the winter and will also serve the kitchen menu, from the pub’s side of the establishment. However, the restaurant itself plans to reduce their kitchen hours in December, at which point it will be open from 7 a.m. to noon to offer breakfast options to the community.
Kids Halloween Party returns with pumpkin contest for a cause
A children’s Halloween Party will take place at Clinton’s Memorial Hall on Thursday, Oct. 31 with hot dogs, games, prizes, and treats available. There will also be a pumpkin carving contest for a great cause.
The party gets started at 6 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m., but participants can register their pumpkins for the carving contest between 3 and 4 p.m. at the hall. This year, all local businesses and age groups are encouraged to take part, but please keep in mind that the intended audience for the pumpkins is children and families.
Carved pumpkins must be lit with battery-operated candles, which means no open flames or plug-in fixtures will be accepted for display. There is no limit to how many pumpkins each person can enter, so get busy creating your spooky designs, Clinton!
There will be one mystery prize awarded to the winning pumpkin, which will be “blind” judged by party guests. The pumpkins can’t include any gore, names, or logos on them, and there is one more catch: participants must donate one food bank item per pumpkin.
For example, if a child chooses to participate in the contest and carves two pumpkins to submit, they will need to include two food bank donations alongside their carved creations.
Community Forest tour a success
The Clinton and District Community Forest held an informative and well-attended public tour on Saturday, Oct. 19, with more than 20 community members in attendance.
“It was a great tour,” said Mayor Susan Swan. “Even the weather cooperated. I would encourage anyone with questions about our Community Forest to make a point of going on the next tour. You will learn a lot! I know I did.”
Swan thanked resident Sandi Burrage for providing a fantastic lunch for the tour, which will likely return next year following two years of positive public reception for the event.
Do you have Clinton news? Contact Raven Nyman at ravenbrookn@hotmail.com.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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