The City of Merritt has quickly filled its chief administrative officer position.

Director of corporate services Sean Smith has been appointed the CAO and will take over on August 10.

Smith will replace Scott Hildebrand, who has taken the CAO position with the Thompson Nicola Regional District based in Kamloops. Hildebrand had been the city manger in Merritt for just under 15 months.

Smith has been the director of corporate services in Merritt since 2017 and took on new roles as the deputy CAO last summer. He is a lawyer by trade, having received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Victoria and, before that, an Economics degree from the University of British Columbia.

“I have seen firsthand that this council wants to challenge the status quo and do local government differently,” Smith says.

“They want to be innovative, nimble and do away with rules for the sake of rules.  They want to create a thriving downtown, more high paying jobs, recreational opportunities, and housing, and are implementing policies that support and give weight to those aspirations. They are committed to strengthening First Nations relationships and addressing the infrastructure gap that plagues small communities.”

Mayor of Merritt Linda Brown thanked Hildebrand for his service and says the city is thrilled to bring in Smith.

She says an expansive search was not needed, saying that promoting Smith was “an easy decision.”

“Residents will appreciate Sean’s energy, commitment to providing exceptional service, and genuine desire to make the City of Merritt the most dynamic small community in British Columbia,” Brown says.

Meantime, Hildebrand says his time with Merritt will not end when he leaves his CAO position.

“I am looking forward to future opportunities where Merritt and the TNRD can work together for the betterment of the entire Nicola Valley,” Hildebrand says.