Springwater outlines interim plan to fill role of CAO

Doug Herron is the interim CAO of the Township of Springwater (Courtesy: Township of Springwater).

The Township of Springwater has confirmed its plan to temporarily fill the shoes of a top executive after a sudden resignation.

On Thursday councillors voted for Doug Herron to take on the role of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) on an interim basis. Herron joined the staff at the township in Feb. 2024 as its director of planning and development services, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience, primarily with the Town of Wasaga Beach.

Council also approved Greg Bedard as the interim deputy CAO. Bedard also joined the Township of Springwater in 2024 as its director of finance.

Jeff Schmidt, Springwater Township’s previous CAO, handed in his resignation for a new role with the City of Barrie. As of Feb. 3, Schmidt will be the new general manager of community and corporate services, taking over the position from Dawn McAlpine who retired late last year.

The appointments were announced during a short session of council on Thursday afternoon. The meeting came nearly one week after a hastily called meeting on Dec. 27 to address Schmidt's sudden resignation. That meeting, called by some councillors, ended up revealing sharp divides around the table.

Mayor Jennifer Coughlin opened the meeting last week by calling it untimely and unfounded, emphasizing the township is well-positioned to address Schmidt’s resignation after the holiday break.

However, other council members expressed a sense of urgency. Earlier this week George Cabral, the deputy mayor of Springwater, confirmed to CTV News many felt a rush due to closed door negotiations Schmidt has been a part of. The township is in the midst of negotiations for a possible change in boundaries, with Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall looking to expand the city's size for more employment land.

CTV has reached out to Springwater Mayor Jennifer Coughlin for comment on these developments but has not heard back.

With files from CTV's Mike Arsalides.