Coalhurst looking to collaborate with youth groups to shovel snow

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Sunny South News

By Kenyon Stronski
Sunny South News

Coalhurst council is reviewing several Town requests as December brings plenty of work. Starting reports from administration at their regular meeting on Nov. 22, Interim CAO Jeffery Coffman began by mentioning the number of applications that have been received for the full position of CAO for the Town of Coalhurst.

“Twenty-one, although I received another one 16 minutes ago, so 22 applications for the position of CAO. These are coming from various points across Canada and a couple of international ones as well. The majority of them that are coming through our professional sites, I did identify and report the sites that these would be advertised on.  The posting’s open until Nov. 30.”

Coffman noted that following the postings closure, he will provide council with a median list of applicants with some information redacted so all council will see qualifications and spelling or grammar.

“The intent or the desire or hope is to have an interview list put together for the week of December 5 so that we can at least make some initial contact with individuals prior to the 16th of December. Start that process because we’ll have to take the two weeks off because even people looking for jobs are taking a little bit of respite as well and then for the first week of January to start getting into dating interviews. The desire is to have somebody here by the end of January or the first part of February.”

Coun. Heather Caldwell spoke up, mentioning an individual that had stepped up and offered to provide some additional support for the measures, and if the offer had been considered. Coffman said at themoment, the Town has decided to move forward on their own.

Mayor Lyndsay Montina brought up a suggestion that was put forth on having a youth member or multiple youth members offering to help shovel in the community.

“I really like your suggestion here about having a youth who might be interested in helping shovel and I would be more than happy to write letters for any individuals that would like to do that or participate in helping the people that might need some snow removal or whatever that might entail.”

Coffman said that since the Town is getting the complaints, it does provide a challenge, however, he’s looking at the opportunity to coordinate with the youth groups in town.

“If people in the community are prepared to help your neighbours or help people from across town and volunteer for these opportunities — which could go through organizations like Brownies or through youth groups, religious groups, through school — then we can attempt to coordinate those people who want to contact us. We can hook up those in need with those with a shovel.”