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White Rock appoints new financial services director

City has taken steps to ensure ‘seamless leadership’ during COVID-19 crisis
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Colleen Ponzini, who was to begin work as the City of White Rock’s finance director on April 6 has started early as part of the city’s effort to maintain seamless leadership during the COVID-19 crisis. (LinkedIn photo)

The City of White Rock has taken several steps to ensure seamless leadership during the COVID-19 emergency, a release issued Tuesday afternoon (March 24) states.

CAO Dan Bottrill, who was to finish his tenure with White Rock March 31 and begin his retirement, will instead stay with the city until his replacement is in place.

Fire chief Phil Lemire, the city’s emergency co-ordinator, meanwhile, was scheduled to retire on March 27. Instead, Lemire will also remain with the city until his replacement takes over the role.

Replacing former finance director Sandra Kurylo, who retired on March 14 after 25 years with the city, Colleen Ponzini began her work March 18 instead of the planned date of April 6.

Ponzini stepped down as director of finance for the City of New Westminster on March 13 after having worked in New Westminster’s finance department since 2007. She was appointed director in April of 2019, after having served in an acting-director capacity for close to a year before that, following the retirement of her predecessor.

Prior to working at the City of New Westminster, she served as a financial systems analyst for Metro Vancouver.

Kurylo had worked for White Rock’s financial department since 1995, following experience as comptroller of the Vancouver International Airport Authority and manager of financial and resource management with Transport Canada.

She was appointed city treasurer (now financial services director) in 1999.

The financial services department is responsible for the financial administration for the City of White Rock, including financial planning and budgeting, collection of property taxes, and parking services including pay parking, parking permits, decals and enforcement.



alex.browne@peacearchnews.com

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