Director of Development Services for City of Williams Lake passes the torch

The City of Williams Lake has a new Director of Development Services.

Leah Hartley who has held that position for the last four years is retiring and has turned it over to Manager of Planning and Development, Hasib Nadvi.

Nadvi said he remembers how helpful Hartley was when he first started with the City and had high praise for her.

“I remember my first day I came into Leah’s office and said hey I’m new here, I have no experience, and would you take me under your wing and teach me how this whole development services works,” Nadvi said.

“She said I’ve done it a few times, and since then Leah has been nothing but amazing. She has been a great mentor, great friend, and colleague. I’ve learned a lot from her.”

Hartley has worked as a planner since the 1980s and was hired by the City of Williams Lake in May 2015.

Williams Lake Mayor and Council offered their thanks and congratulations to Hartley on her retirement at Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

“I want to thank Hartley for helping me through being chair of general governance because I got a lot of information out of her sitting in her office,” Councillor Craig Smith said.

Councillor Scott Nelson said Hartley’s impact and what she has done for the community of Williams Lake will forever be known in a very positive way.

“I think if you look at the stamp of what you’ve accomplished here in our community though not only the official community plan changes and bylaw changes and all the goodies contained within that, you actually put practical experience to work,” Nelson said.

“I think the icing on the cake is this walkway and really the fruition of the head of the lake because without Leah’s support behind the purchase of that entire area, the layout, and getting the grant applications there’s always been a lot of talk of getting it done and under Leah’s watch the head of the lake was finally purchased on behalf of the community of Williams Lake, but not only that the trail system got started thanks to Leah and then just to top that all off she got funding for our bridge down thereof close to 75 percent.”