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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

back in the saddle

Retired Red Deer city manager takes interim role in Caroline

Jun 27, 2020 | 2:36 PM

The long-time and now retired city manager for Red Deer is back in the game.

Craig Curtis, who served in the role locally from 2007-2019, has accepted the position of interim CAO at the Village of Caroline. He retired from the job in Red Deer in March of last year.

Now, Curtis is taking over in the west central Alberta community temporarily for CAO Melissa Beebe, who is on leave.

“When I retired from the City, I had always hoped to do a certain amount of contract work, but some of the initial offers dried up with budgets,” Curtis said speaking with rdnewsNOW on Friday. “Then this came up and it seemed like a great opportunity, and I hope to make a bit of a contribution while I’m there. The village is on the edge of the recreation area and sees lots of tourists. It’s all the same challenges at a different level.”

Curtis cites tourism, marketing the community, and attracting business to capitalize on available industrial land as areas he could address during his tenure.

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“I’ve always had a passion for municipal government, which I suppose is strange,” he admits. “But it’s always interesting. I want to make a few things happen in the time I’m there and I’m enjoying it so far.”

Prior to his tenure as city manager for the City of Red Deer, Curtis was with the City of Owen Sound in Ontario for several years, and began working with the City of Red Deer as a planner in 1980.

He also served with municipalities in South Africa, and holds a Bachelor of Architecture, as well as Master of City Planning and Urban Design from the University of Cape Town.