UPDATE Bridal leaving City of Vernon after 25 year career

The number-two staff person at the City of Vernon has informed city council about plans to leave the position.

Patti Bridal, director of corporate services, will be retiring in a couple of months, ending 17 years at the City of Vernon and a 25 year career in local government.

“Patti has an exciting new chapter on the horizon. She will be retiring at the end of the year,” Christy Poirier, manager of communications for the city, told Vernon Matters.

Only the chief administrative officer, Will Pearce, is higher on the city’s administration list.

Poirier said she doesn’t have any details at this point as to when a new director of corporate services may be named, but she added administration is working on the next steps.

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The following bio on Patti Bridal was provided by the City of Vernon at the request of Vernon Matters:

Patti Bridal has worked in local government in British Columbia for approximately 25 years. She began her career with the City of Williams Lake in 1994, as a clerk in administration. Later, she moved into positions in Engineering, the RCMP and Recreation Services.

In March 2003, Patti joined the City of Vernon. Over the course of her 17 years in Vernon, she has served as Deputy Clerk, Corporate Officer, Manager of Corporate Services, and most recently, Director of Corporate Services. In this role, she oversees the staff and operation of Legislative Services, Real Estate Management, Communications, Protective Services (including Bylaw Compliance, Safe Communities and Crime Prevention), RCMP Municipal employees and the Information Services
department.

In 2015, Bridal was also appointed Deputy Chief Administrative Officer.
As the Corporate Officer for the City of Vernon, she has been responsible for five municipal elections since 2005, various referendums, and all legislated requirements under the Local Government Act and the Community Charter.

Bridal attended Capilano University in 1977 for the Legal Secretary Program, received the Local Government Administration Certificate through LGMA/Capilano University in 2006, and completed her Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation in 2009. She has attended several educational programs, including various MATI courses, Justice Institute of BC programs for Emergency Operations, Freedom of Information and Law, and presented at a recent Administrative Professionals Conference.

She has always recognized the benefits that these educational opportunities provide herself, as well as other municipal employees. Patti believes in ‘giving back’ to the municipal community by volunteering for various initiatives and programs.

She has sat on the Corporate Officers Forum Committee with the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) for seven years. She has also been an active board member of the Thompson Okanagan Chapter of LGMA for an additional five years. In May 2017, Patti was elected President of the LGMA of British Columbia.

Bridal says her greatest rewards while working in local government include the ‘people’, the privilege of being in a position to provide professional expertise in local government legislation to support the Mayor and Council of the day, and being part of a team of dedicated professionals working towards a common goal of serving the community, to support balanced growth and improvements that make this place a desirable city to raise a family and retire.