SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - City administrator Max Hall will leave city hall near the beginning of summer and head into retirement after serving in the role as the city's top bureaucrat for 12 years.

City administrator Max Hall, speaks at a press conference after two firefighters were killed in 2005. Hall is expected to leave the city's top job at the end of May. - NNSL file photo

"I really liked working with Max because he always had time to listen and explain what's going on and see how he could help you in any way he could," said city councillor Bob Brooks, who has been a councillor, off and on, since 1991. Brooks has worked with Hall while he was city administrator and as director of community services, which Hall was for about 10 years before becoming city administrator.

"I'm really sad to see him go. He has made a huge contribution to the city and to the residents, and certainly to city council," said Brooks.

He said he did not know if Hall was staying in Yellowknife or leaving the city, but hopes he sticks around long enough to make good on a game of golf Brooks challenged him to during the winter.

"The city is going to miss and lose a very valuable asset and it's going to be extremely hard to find a replacement for him," Brooks added.

Mark Heyck has been on city council for more than six years, and had nothing but good things to say about Hall.

"When I first joined council, it was a very overwhelming feeling trying to catch up on what the city was doing," said Heyck.

"Max has always found time to sit down with me and explain things."

Heyck said Hall played his role with "a certain style that works well for someone in his position" and always had a "very calm, collected air about him."

"One of the very important qualities Max has is he's never been afraid to speak truth to power," said Heyck.

"We (as city council) like to think we have the answer to everything. It's very beneficial to the city as a whole to have somebody in that position who's not afraid to give councillors the straight goods and make sure we have the tools we need to do our jobs."

Max Hall was named city administrator in 1998, replacing Doug Lagore, and told Yellowknifer at the time that his strategy in his new role would be "consensus-building" in council and administration - something to which both Brooks and Heyck attested he stayed true.

Hall had also told Yellowknifer back in 1998 that his first goal as city administrator would be to "open up communication with the media."

Hall did not return phone calls by press time.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said Heyck and himself will be interviewing potential successors, and then making a recommendation to city council.

Heyck said he believes Hall will be leaving near the end of May, and the city hopes to have someone to replace him by that time.

"Max has a very big pair of shoes to fill, that's for sure," said Heyck.