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Town of Stewiacke 295 George Street P.O. Box 8 Stewiacke, NS B0N 2J0
Office 902-639-2231 Fax 902-639-2221
Policy Title: Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Policy #2025-03
Approval Date: November 27, 2025
Replaces: CAO Bylaw By-Law Number 2000-03 (Repealed)
1. This policy shall be known as and may be cited as the "Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Policy".
2. Chief Administrative Officer
The office of the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town of Stewiacke is hereby established and
may be also referred to as the "CAO".
3. Council and CAO Relationship
3.1 The CAO is the head of the administrative branch of the government of the Town and is
responsible to Council for the proper administration of the affairs of the Town in
accordance with the by-laws of the Town and the policies adopted by Council.
3.2 The Council shall communicate with the employees of the Town solely through the CAO,
except that the Council may communicate directly with employees of the Town to obtain
or provide information
3.3 The Council shall provide direction on the administration, plans, policies and programs of
the Town to the CAO
3.4 No council member, committee or member of a committee established by Council shall
instruct or give direction to, either publicly or privately, an employee of the Town.
4. Responsibilities of the CAO
4.1 The CAO, subject to the provisions of this policy, shall:
4.1.1.
administer the day-to-day business affairs of all the departments of the Town in
accordance with the policies and plans approved by Council;
4.1.2
coordinate and direct the preparation of plans and programs to be submitted to
the Council for the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of all the Town's
property and facilities;
Town of Stewiacke 295 George Street P.O. Box 8 Stewiacke, NS B0N 2J0
Office 902-639-2231 Fax 902-639-2221
4.1.3
be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget and its submission to
Council as well as coordinating its implementation, after approval, throughout
each fiscal year;
4.1.4
review the drafts of all by-laws and submit to the Council recommendations on
such drafts and advise what procedures should be taken to carry out the by-laws
and to enforce their observance;
4.1.5
attend, or be adequately represented at, all meetings of Council, Committees,
Board and Commissions and make recommendations, either oral or written, from
time to time, as shall be deemed necessary;
4.1.6
coordinate and direct recommendations, either oral or written, to Council
regarding the upgrading, assessment and definition of programs, policies and
plans or any such changes that are necessitated to maintain or improve the
operation of the Town government;
4.1.7
act as Personnel Director within the scope of the duties of CAO and carry out such
duties in accordance with the policies established by Council and shall;
(a)
be responsible to post all vacant positions for hire, either part-time
or full-time, via various web-based sites;
(b)
be responsible to advise Council of the appointment, promotion,
demotion, suspension, resignation, transfer and dismissal of any
and all employees;
(c)
be responsible for recommendations concerning wages, salary and
working conditions to Council covering all Town staff;
(d)
be responsible that all employees of the Town are accountable for
the performance of their duties and ensure that all reports and
recommendations required of them are submitted to and through
the CAO;
(e)
establish and maintain a vacation schedule for all employees,
including the CAO, ensuring the proper coverage of all departments
at all times;
Town of Stewiacke 295 George Street P.O. Box 8 Stewiacke, NS B0N 2J0
Office 902-639-2231 Fax 902-639-2221
(f)
establish and maintain an employee evaluation tool confirming
compliance of Human Resource policies, which will be provided to
Council on an annual basis; and
(g)
establish, maintain and update from time to time, a succession plan
for the Town outlining future employment needs, including training
of current staff to assist with future employment opportunities.
4.1.8
act as Financial Officer within the scope of the duties of CAO to carry out such
duties in accordance with the policies established by Council and shall:
(a)
have power to make or authorize the making of contracts for the
purpose of acquiring services of equipment, supplies or other items
required for the carrying on of the businesses of the Town and
enter into contracts therefore on behalf of the Town in accordance
with the Town's procurement policy where such expenditures does
not exceed, in the any one case, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars
($15,000.00) and provided it is a budgeted item. Such expenditures
shall be reported by the CAO to Council on a regular basis;
(b)
notwithstanding the above (section 4.1.8 a), submit a
recommendation to Council respecting any proposed expenditure,
for any purpose, in excess of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00)
in accordance with the Town's procurement policy,
(b1)have power to make emergency expenditures in accordance
with the Town's procurement policy;
(c)
subject to policies adopted by Council, sell any personal property
belonging to the Town not exceeding a value of five thousand
dollars ($5,000.00) which, in the opinion of the CAO, is no longer
needed by the Town or which is obsolete or unsuitable for use.
(d)
have power to make recommendations to Council respecting any
proposed expenditure, for any purpose;
(e)
subject to policies adopted by Council, personally or by an agent,
negotiate and execute leases of real property owned by the Town
that are for a term not exceeding one year, including renewals.
Such negotiations and leases shall be communicated by the CAO to
Council on a regular basis; and
(f)
supervise the performance of all contracts or agreements entered
into by the Town and ensure that all the conditions relating thereto
Town of Stewiacke 295 George Street P.O. Box 8 Stewiacke, NS B0N 2J0
Office 902-639-2231 Fax 902-639-2221
have been fulfilled in accordance with the provisions of such
contracts or agreements and the CAO shall report to the Council,
on a regular basis, respecting such contracts and/or agreements;
4.1.9
Carry out such additional duties and exercise such additional responsibilities as
Council may, from time to time, direct
5. Absence of the CAO
5.1 In the event of the temporary absence or disability of the CAO, the CAO will in writing, with
the concurrence of the Council, designate a person to act in the capacity of Deputy Chief
Administrative Officer to perform the duties of the CAO during the absence.
5.2 If the absence or disability of the CAO will exceed three weeks, or if the designation noted
in subsection 5.1 is not made, or in the event of any emergency where the CAO is
unavailable or if the CAO resigns or is dismissed, the Council may appoint a person to
perform the duties until the CAO returns or is replaced.
Annotation's For Official Policy Book
Date of Council members Review: Thursday, November 27th, 2025
Date of Passage of Current Policy: Thursday, November 27, 2025
I certify that this Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above.
_________________________ _____________________
CAO / Clerk Date
November 27, 2025