Sherry Baers to continue as Wheatland County CAO

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wheatland County has announced that Sherry Baers will maintain her position as chief administrative officer for the foreseeable future in a full-time capacity. 

Baers was appointed by the county to the role in the interim in November 2025 to replace Brian Henderson and ensure a smooth transition period while a candidate was sought. 

Previously, she had served as the general manager of community and development services for the county and has been on staff for over six years.

“I am actually quite excited; I find I have really enjoyed working here at Wheatland (County). It is a good community, it is a good county to work in, the work relationships and the environment here is really good,” said Baers. “I feel like I still have a lot to give and I am looking forward to supporting staff. They are all looking for stability as well, so I think we have a good team here.”

She explained that holding the position as the interim CAO, her role was to keep the county running smoothly and consistently while council interviewed candidates.

Now, as she settles permanently into the role, she will be working with council to solidify the 2026 to 2029 strategic plan.

“Even though they may not want to see major changes, we will work on that and how it can spill down to help meet their strategic objectives and goals,” said Baers. “I think this council – I am hearing pretty loud and clear that they want to improve communication out to ratepayers and to the public. We will work on those things but mostly working on how we can meet all of their strategic goals and objectives with transparency.”

County Reeve Scott Klassen explained Baers stood out for the position particularly through her diverse professional background, as well as her history working with Wheatland County. 

She was ultimately selected from over 75 applicants who had expressed interest in the position. 

“It was not just an internal hire; we looked everywhere … you assume your employees are really good, but you never know until you compare, especially with the CAO, with what the market is and what is out there,” said Klassen. “There were a number of very qualified candidates; it was not an easy decision to get down to, but having an internal candidate is a good problem to have. It also gives them a leg up and almost like a long-term interview.”

Prior to Baers, Henderson was also hired for his position as CAO after serving as the interim before his selection.