By Mark Squibb / July 21, 2023
Bay Bulls council wasted no time filling the position of Town Manager recently vacated by former manager Jennifer Aspell, who just last week finished her first week as the new Chief Administrative Officer of Witless Bay, choosing an internal hire with six years of experience at the town hall.
In fact, Bay Bulls council appointed former Town Clerk Ashley Wakeham to the new position even before Witless Bay council announced publicly that it had hired Aspell.
Members of Bay Bulls council unanimously voted to appoint Wakeham during a private meeting held June 29, about a week before Witless Bay council moved to hire Aspell during a special Friday night meeting of council held on July 7.
Members of Bay Bulls council then ratified the decision to appoint Wakeham during its next public meeting on July 13.
Following the vote, various members congratulated Wakeham on the new role.
“It’s well deserved and she’s more than qualified, so we’re pretty happy to have her,” said councillor Corey Ronayne.
Wakeham will continue fulfilling the duties of Town Clerk, but council hopes to hire a new office assistant, and soon. Following the appointment of Wakeham to the new position, council formed a hiring committee, comprised of Mayor Keith O’Driscoll, Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien, and Wakeham, to oversee the hiring of a new assistant Town Clerk.
Along with the appointment, council moved to grant Wakeham the authority to sign Town cheques and appointed her as the town’s ATIPP Coordinator.
