Coquitlam has a new city manager — and council didn't have far to look.
Today (April 13), the municipality announced that deputy city manager Raul Allueva was appointed to the top job in replacing Peter Steblin, who retired from the position in January.
In a news release, the city said it hired a headhunter to conduct a nationwide search to fill the position.
Allueva, who has been with Coquitlam for nearly 13 years, was deputy city manager for four years and has been interim city manager for four months.
Previously, he was manager of development services in the planning department from 2010 to 2013 and general manager of parks, recreation and culture from 2013 to 2019.
In total, Allueva brings more than three decades of local government experience in Saanich, Surrey, Richmond and Coquitlam.
As city manager, Allueva will provide advice to city council and work with senior managers to deliver programs and services to residents.
"City council and previous managers have established a strong foundation in city governance and highly effective administration, and I am both honoured and excited to support that tradition," Allueva said in the news release.
"I am also committed to continuing Coquitlam's journey towards reconciliation and inclusivity. I look forward to working closely with council and all city partners to continue to build capacity, strengthen our community’s resiliency and deliver the services our community values."
Steblin announced his retirement last November; the following month, Metro Vancouver revealed his daughter, Anika Calder, had taken photos from his city laptop and leaked confidential Metro papers to her employer Acciona.
According to the Statement for Financial Information report, Steblin made $356,991 in 2021.
