Published Apr 24, 2025 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 2 minute readChris McNeill has been named Kentville’s next chief administrative officer. Photo by Jason Malloy /Annapolis Valley RegisterChris McNeill is moving up the Annapolis Valley to become Kentville’s next chief administrative officer (CAO).McNeill has been the CAO with the County of Annapolis since the spring of 2023 after five years in the Region of Queens Municipality’s top administrative position. McNeill will be with the county until the end of June and begin with the town in July.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“He has a very strong background,” Kentville Mayor Andrew Zebian said April 24. “All of council felt that he’s what the town needs. He’s going to move us in the right direction, so we’re very happy to have him here.”Read More ‘Different direction’: Kentville hires interim CAO Jeffrey Lawrence appointed as CAO for the Town of Kentville Annapolis County appoints Chris McNeill as new CAO McNeill, who has an undergraduate degree from Acadia University and a master of public administration degree from Dalhousie University, has worked with municipal and provincial governments for more than 30 years.“Chris brought an immense amount of experience to the position and has been a thoughtful, responsible leader who worked well with council and staff,” Warden Diane LeBlanc said in a news release. “He demonstrated a solid understanding of local government and placed great value on partnerships with citizens, local businesses, and other levels of government. He will be missed.”Article contentKentville’s six councillors and the mayor were all part of the CAO hiring committee. In the past, Kentville has created a smaller group, consisting of some council members, to sit on the committee.“This time, I wanted to make sure that we were all involved in the process because it’s such an important part of the municipality,” the mayor said.McNeill will take over for Kevin Matheson, who has held the position on an interim basis since Feb. 19. Zebian said he has and will continue to provide stability for the town until McNeill arrives.“He’s been a tremendous help the last couple of months as we navigated through this whole process,” the mayor said.Matheson replaced Jeffrey Lawrence, who held the position since January 2024. McNeill will be the eighth person to be Kentville’s CAO, on a full or interim basis, since Mark Phillips left to become the CAO with the new West Hants Regional Municipality in 2019.Zebian said it is very important to have some continuity and stability in the position as the town is working on some large projects.Article contentThe Kentville job was posted March 11. A couple hundred applications were received, Zebian said. They were vetted, narrowed down and sent to the hiring committee.The town of about 6,600 people has an annual operating budget of about $19 million. The county had about 19,000 people in the 2021 census and has a $27.3-million operating budget this year.The county will initiate a recruitment process for a new CAO in the near future.“We are fortunate to have an efficient and skilled workforce,” LeBlanc said. “Council will continue to support the efforts of staff as they carry out the municipality’s daily operations to the highest standard.” Chris McNeill will continue to serve as the chief administrative officer of the Municipality of the County of Annapolis until the end of June. Photo by Jason Malloy /Annapolis Valley RegisterMcNeill took over for interim chief administrative officer Douglas Patterson, who filled the role after David Dick’s contract was terminated in August 2022 after 15 months on the job.Article content
McNeill named Kentvilles next CAO
