The City of White Rock has made proactive decisions to ensure seamless leadership during the COVID-19 emergency--decisions that include the CAO, Fire Chief and Director of Finance.
CAO Dan Bottrill was to finish his tenure with White Rock March 31 and begin his retirement. Instead, Bottrill will stay with the City until his replacement is in place.
Fire Chief Phil Lemire, the City’s emergency co-ordinator, was scheduled to retire on March 27. Lemire will remain with the City until his replacement is in place.
Former Finance Director Sandra Kurylo retired on March 14. Colleen Ponzini, formerly the Director of Finance for the City of New Westminster, began her work with the City on March 18 instead of the planned date of April 6.
About the Leaders
Phil Lemire
Chief Phil Lemire has been with the City of White Rock since 1981 and is the former president of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C. He was appointed Deputy Chief in 1996, and begin as Fire Chief in 2005.
Dan Bottrill
Dan Bottrill was appointed as the CAO for the City of White Rock in 2012. He has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience working in local government and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Colleen Ponzini
Colleen Ponzini was a financial analyst with Metro Vancouver before joining the City of New Westminster as the Manager of Financial Services in 2007 and becoming Director of Finance for New Westminster in 2017.
Sandra Kurylo
Sandra Kurylo was with the City of White Rock since 1995 and was appointed Director of Financial Services in 1999. She previously worked with the Vancouver International Airport Authority and Transport Canada.
Quote
Mayor Darryl Walker
“We are all in this together when it comes to COVID-19. That is why White Rock is taking the proactive step of ensuring a strong, uninterrupted leadership team is in place to support City Council in our decision-making.
Having a full leadership team in place, meeting daily to manage our changing health landscape, will ensure residents continue to be provided with top-notch service here in White Rock.”