Acting deputy city manager Ian Wells has retired from the City of Prince George.
On Monday night, acting city manager Walter Babicz told city council that Wells had retired from the city.
"After a long and distinguished career with the city, Mr. Wells has retired as of last week, your worship," Babicz said. "We thank him for all of his service and all of his great work in the development community and other work in the city."
Wells' career with the city spanned decades. He previously served as the city's manager of real estate services and the general manager of planning and development, before being appointed acting deputy city manager following the departure of former city manager Kathleen Soltis.
Wells was a key figure in the development of the city's downtown parkade that went millions of dollars over budget.
City council approved an initial $12.6 million budget for the project. The final cost of the project came to $34.16 million – $22.46 million for the parkade, $597,138 to connect the parkade to the city's district energy system, and $11.1 million for water and sewer upgrades in the area, and other off-site works.
Emails obtained by the Citizen through a Freedom of Information request show that Wells was a key point of contact between the city and parkade developer A &T Project Developments. Emails sent in July 2018 from A & T Projects Development to Wells warned the project would be $7 million over budget.
Deanna Wasnik has been appointed the acting director of planning and development, Babicz said.
