The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the County of Renfrew has announced he plans to retire this year.
Paul Moreau took over the CAO position from Jim Hutton in 2018. Before stepping into the top role with the County of Renfrew, Moreau worked in other senior leadership positions as the Director of Development and Property, Director of Social Services (now Community Services) and as District Manager for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
During his first month as CAO for the County of Renfrew in September of 2018, a tornado hit the Calabogie area, that was followed by extensive damage caused from flooding in the spring of 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.
Despite the natural disasters and global pandemic, a lot has been accomplished in the four years Moreau has been the Chief Administrative Officer.
Moreau talked about the announcement of the 4-laning of Highway 17 between Renfrew and Arnprior, helping build roughly 50 seniors housing units in Petawawa and Arnprior, the new community housing project in Pembroke and the Service Delivery Improvement Project at the County of Renfrew Administration building which will save taxpayers roughly $465,000 a year.
Moreau says he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish everything that’s been done without the support of other staff and elected representatives in the County of Renfrew.
He plans to stay on with the County of Renfrew until late August of September as he wants to help get the affordable and supportive housing project in Pembroke off the ground and help with the new CAO recruitment process.
During his remarks to County Council at the end of March, 2022, Moreau asked elected officials to continue fighting for local residents and adds it has been a privilege to lead what he believes is one of the highest performing teams ever at the County of Renfrew.
Moreau encouraged County Council to select a CAO with strong leadership, vision and team values who will continue to help the County of Renfrew grow.
Moreau says there’s a lot of opportunities for him in the area and in his retirement he plans to volunteer, give back to the community and wait and see what else comes up.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)