David Cribbs' handling of pandemic lauded by fellow Ontario administrators
Pelham Chief Administrative Officer David Cribbs has received a deserved pat on the back.
Gayle Jackson, president of the Ontario Municipal Administrators Association (OMAA) informed Town Council by letter earlier this month that Cribbs has been recognized by his peers with a special OMAA Achievement Award, for demonstrating exceptional leadership in response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, including an award-winning municipal re-opening plan.
OMAA has been in existence for some 60 years, and is devoted to enhancing good governance, leadership excellence, and professional management in municipal administration throughout the province.
“This has been a particularly challenging time for the municipal sector and chief administrative officers in Ontario,” wrote Jackson. “It is a delight to congratulate David for his commitment to excellence in municipal management.”
Mayor Marvin Junkin paid tribute to his CAO, noting that “During the last year, I sat in on the vast majority of Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) meetings that were held at first three times a week, but now occur twice a week. Although all team members brought exceptional talents to the table, like all great teams, there has to be a leader to focus the energies and ideas generated by the group into an action plan. With his extensive experience in municipal politics, David had the knowledge and ability to be this leader.”
Cribbs was humble in the spotlight.
“It is of course gratifying and complimentary to be recognized,” he told the Voice. “That being said, almost 100 percent of a CAO’s job is teamwork. If performance has been worthy of recognition/award, then it was earned by a large number of people. The CAO may be the administrative head of the corporation, but the work done during the pandemic was most certainly the effort of a combined team of dedicated public servants. I’m proud to be part of this team, and look forward to future opportunities to serve the community.”