District of Clearwater soon will be searching for a director of finance.
Scott Coulson, who started work with the district on Feb. 16, 2009, gave notice on Friday, March 25.
“I am here until the 12th of May,” Coulson said. “I am staying as long as I can to make sure the budget is completed and approved, and the audit is complete.”
Coulson will be the first chief administrative officer for the Uchucklesaht First Nation government. The Nuu-chah-nulth (Nookta) tribe will sign a treaty on April 11 and will be self-governed thereafter.
“I am leaving to head to Vancouver Island (Port Alberni),” said the director of finance. “Our entire family is there and we miss our daughter tremendously. She is 27 and we feel we have missed too much of her life - only visiting two times a year.”
Coulson came to Clearwater with over 12 years of experience in senior management positions. Seven of those 12 years were as a CAO in two separate municipalities, two years were as a general accountant/controller of a large corporation, and three years as a program administrator for the provincial Forest Worker Transition Program. He was also in the armed forces for five years.
The Uchucklesaht First Nation is a First Nations government based on the eastern shore of Barkley Sound near Port Alberni. It is a member of the Maa-Nulth First Nations, recently created via treaty with the government of Canada. It has 180 registered members.