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Conservation Halton fires long-serving CAO in bid `to take a new approach' iting the need for a change in direction, Conservation Halton's board of directors decided at its last meeting to terminate its CAO/secretary-treasurer. The decision to let TheresaMaguire Garber go was made January 19. She'd held the position for the past eight years. "The board has elected to take a new approach and direction and as such believed new leadership was needed," said Conservation Halton (CH) chair Brian Penman, adding the board appreciates what Maguire-Garber accomplished at CH and wishes her well in her future endeavours. Her last day was February 1. After having just released its Public Accountability Report 2005 and its Halton Watershed Report Card 2005, Penman said the timing was right to closely examine the environmental agency. "It's a timely moment to put our organization under a microscope and determine (how to improve)," he said. Maguire-Garber said she values the time she spent with CH. "I am proud to have nurtured Conservation Halton into a progressive, forward-thinking organization and feel deeply privi- leged to have worked with such phenomenal staff," she said. Prior to being CAO, MaguireGarber was CH's finance manager and spent 15 years in total with the organization. "When you look back over the past eight years, it certainly says some positive things about Theresa," said CH director of communications Gary Hutton, adding some of the areas she helped improve are strategic planning, budgets and human resources. Allan Holmes, the former CAO/secretary-treasurer at the Grand River Conservation Authority, will fill the spot temporarily and aid in recruiting a permanent replacement, Penman said. In compliance with the Employment Standards Act, Maguire-Garber will receive a severance, but Penman wouldn't comment further, nor would he say how much she was making. Penman said he hopes to have someone new in place within the next two months. CH was selected as one of the Top 100 Employers in Canada by Maclean's magazine for 2004. --Stephanie Thiessen, special Buckling up Six-month-old Jesse Bullock of Georgetown couldn't understand what all the fuss was about his car seat as mom Cindy and Blake Hurst of Halton EMS secured the seat in her car at the car seat clinic held at the Acton Fire Hall of Halton Hills Fire Protection and Prevention Services recently. The clinic, sponsored by Ray Johnson of The Co-operators Insurance in Georgetown, gave parents the opportunity to have their car seats inspected for proper installation and adjustments ensuring the safety of their kids. Photo by Ted Brown