Merete Heggelund (left) attends Monday night's city council meeting in the gallery alongside Leah Prestayko, the city's cultural development director, to watch a presentation on visual arts int he city. At the conclusion of the meeting, Heggelund was rehired as the acting city manager, a position she held from 2014 to 2018.--News Photo Collin Gallant
The City of Medicine Hat has re-hired former top administrator Merete Heggelund to become acting city manager until a permanent hire can be found, council announced Monday night.
She takes over the position from another two-time CAO, Bob Nicolay, who took over from her in late 2018, but stepped away quickly early this year.
Former city manager Bob Nicolay stepped down from the position in January stating that, after agreeing to a one-year extension to the contract before the next election, he would accelerate a planned retirement announcement now that a new council had completed the 2022 budget and was embarking on strategic planning.
In February, the City of Grande Prairie announced it had hired him to be interim city manager there – a position he held in 2017 and 2018 – in part to assist with finding a permanent replacement.
Heggelund retired from the city in the fall of 2018 after five years in the position, during which she directly oversaw the energy division and the initial “Financially Fit” budget plan.
She joined the city as corporate services commissioner in 2012 after a career as a top administrator in the private sector oil patch.
Since Nicolay’s departure, the “acting city manager” role and duties had been assigned on a rotating basis.
At the Feb. 28 council meeting, council approved a resolution that strategy managing director Rochelle Pancoast would remain in the role an extra week until March 8.
