The Bowen Island Municipality is pleased to announce that senior staff positions of Director of Planning and Director of Engineering and have been filled.

Hendrik Slegtenhorst, CAO, announced that Hap Stelling, formerly the Manager of Comprehensive Planning with the City of Regina, will take the helm of the BIM’s planning department. Brent Mahood has accepted the position of Director of Engineering and Operations for the municipality.

Stelling will bring 28 years of professional experience to the island. He has an extensive background as Director of Planning, having also worked in Revelstoke, BC, Charlottetown, PEI., and Saint John and Fredericton, NB. For 10 years he was managing partner for a firm offering strategic community planning, Stelling also has considerable experience with island and coastal municipalities.

According to Slegtenhorst, Stelling is looking forward to making “great strides in finding solutions to planning challenges and advancing good growth and development practices on Bowen.” Mr. Stelling expects to arrive on Bowen in mid‐January, and intends to make the island his home.

The new Director of Engineering and Operations, Mahood, is currently the Utilities and Fleet Superintendent with the City of North Vancouver. He has served in this and similar capacities for approximately 24 years.

Mahood has had a lead role in the development and implementation of operations improvement for the City of North Vancouver. His responsibilities there include the
management of water, sanitary and storm capital, development, and operating programs, solid waste collection and disposal, and fleet capital and operating programs. He also functions as the operations representative and link with Metro Vancouver in regards to water, sanitary sewer, drainage, and solid waste issues. He works with Coastal Health regarding water quality and health issues related to garbage, sanitary sewerage, hazardous waste spills, and other environmental matters.

The new head of engineering says he is eager to focus his “energy, enthusiasm and a desire ... to build the organizational frameworks that foster continuous improvement.” Mahood, who resides in West Vancouver, will begin his appointment on 1 February 2010.