MOOSE JAW — City manager Jim Puffalt has announced that he plans to resign from his position and will retire next spring. Puffalt served a little over four years as North Battleford's city manager, departing in May 2018, after taking over from Jim Toye, who left to become city manager in Prince Albert. Toye retired March 31, 2022.
Puffalt made the announcement at the beginning of Moose Jaw's city council’s Oct. 24 regular meeting.
“I would like to announce today that I provided written notice of retirement from my position as city manager of the City of Moose Jaw. That will be effective May 6, 2023. That is the end of my contract,” he said.
“And that will allow the city … to start the process of replacement and will also [allow] me to look at further opportunities.”
He did not provide any other reasons about why he planned to retire from this position.
“Thank you Mr Puffalt, Thank you for your service and we will have more to talk about that in the coming months as you announce your retirement for May of 2023,” Mayor Clive Tolley said about the retirement announcement.
Puffalt has been the city manager since 2018. He started his career as the town administrator in Elrose nearly 40 years ago, and later rose to become city manager for the cities of North Battleford and Estevan.
It is likely that Puffalt’s retirement announcement is not really a surprise for anyone who reads the personnel committee reports.
Puffalt has not attended a personnel committee meeting since March 29. One could surmise that that is because either Puffalt announced his retirement that month or city council informed him his services were no longer required and they were beginning the process of finding someone new.
The Moose Jaw Express will have more information about Puffalt’s impending retirement as it becomes available.
