The Village of Granisle’s new chief administrative officer has exchanged one lake for another.
Dave Birdi has moved from Fort St. James on Stuart Lake to Granisle on Babine Lake.
He replaces Sharon Smith who retired as of June 30.
Birdi comes with managerial experience first as the economic development officer and then chief operating officer for the Binche Whut’en First Nation located near Fort St. James.
He also has local government experience thanks to 10 years as a member of Fort St. James council.
Birdi also ran as the federal Liberal party candidate in the 2019 federal election in the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding.
Birdi has lived in Fort St. James since the 1970s and has been involved with a number of volunteer community organizations including the Fort St. James TV and Radio Society, Fort St. James Youth Soccer and Stuart Lake Seniors Association.
The Village of Granisle has made another significant employment move and that is to name Lorna Eftodie as its interim finance director.
She replaces chief finance officer Brenda Andersson who, like Smith, retired the end of June. Eftodie has worked for the village since 2010.
Smith and Anderson also began work with the village in 2010 and, as grant writers, wrote successful proposals resulting in more than $20 million worth of grants over the years.
Projects included a $4.3 million waste water system and, this year, a replacement of the village’s aging marina infrastructure.
Although now retired, Smith and Andersson are staying on as grant writers until the end of the year.