Home News City of Regina appoints tourism head, new deputy city manager

City of Regina appoints tourism head, new deputy city manager

0
0
Regina City Hall


Jennifer Johnson, previously the executive director of corporate services, will oversee tourism and serve as city manager Niki Anderson’s deputy.

Article content

An internal City of Regina employee will be taking the reins of the newly-returned tourism department, as the city’s executive leadership adjusts to taking the responsibility back from Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) in 2024.

City officials reported Tuesday in an email that Jennifer Johnson, previously the executive director of corporate services, has taken on the lead role for communications, Service Regina and tourism.

Advertisement 2

Article content

Article content

She has also been named as the new deputy city manager, according to the email.

The appointment is seemingly a revival of the role, which was eliminated in 2016. At that time, then-deputy city manager Brent Sjoberg was dismissed, with his responsibilities re-distributed to other employees. The position has not appeared on the city’s executive leadership tree or in the city’s public accounts since.

A report brought to city council in May 2016 noted that getting rid of the position was expected to save $304,000, and help administration “plan for the future more effectively.”

Public accounts from 2016 show the former deputy manager job came with a salary of $112,000 per year. However, Sjoberg also received $535,595 in “other remuneration,” making him the highest paid city employee that year.

In addition to her new titles inside city hall, Johnson also currently serves as vice-chair on REAL’s interim board of directors.

She was appointed to that board alongside city manager Niki Anderson and chief of staff Ly Pham from the city manager’s office, after council opted on Nov. 30 for a clean sweep of the previous board.

Advertisement 3

Article content

Manager of sport and recreation Jeff May and executive director of financial strategy and sustainability Barry Lacey round out the six-person interim board. All will hold their positions until July 31, or until a successor is appointed.

Johnson takes the helm at tourism as it comes back under the City of Regina’s control, just one year after REAL took over the tourism mandate from Economic Development Regina.

REAL had requested the handover, after a consultant’s report advised the corporation had too much on its plate after the botched Experience Regina campaign. Another report later stated the organization is not financially viable.

Tourism Regina returns to the city with seven full-time employees, and a $910,000 budget to cover salary and non-salary expenses. The funds will be redirected from REAL back to the city’s coffers, in a move authorized in December with the passage of the 2024 budget.

Related Stories

lkurz@postmedia.com

With some online platforms blocking access to the news upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here so we can keep you informed.

Article content



Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here