7 replies to this topic

[martini]

http://www.timescolo...0326/story.html

By Bill Cleverley, Times ColonistJanuary 13, 2009



Victoria's manager of social planning and housing Wendy Zink has been dismissed.

City spokeswoman Katie Josephson said in an e-mail that "there has been a parting of the ways" and that "a fair settlement has been offered" to Zink.

Zink could not be reached for comment.

Mayor Dean Fortin would not comment on the specifics of Zink's departure, saying only it was an operational decision made by senior staff "We were advised by staff and it's a personnel issue," the mayor said.

Josephson said confidentiality surrounding personnel matters prohibited her from providing further details.

She did not say when or if Zink would be replaced, noting that whenever a position is vacated the city examines how that position can best support the needs of the organization.

"There is no question social planning is a top priority for the city," she said.

Fortin, who has homelessness at the top of the city's agenda, agreed social planning remains a huge priority for his council.

"It is just that (a No. 1 priority). With homelessness and affordable housing, it is something that we are going to need the staff resources to develop our action plans and make them work," Fortin said.

Zink's departure coincides with the resignation last week of former city manager Penny Ballantyne, who quit citing personal reasons in the wake of the death of her husband this past summer.

Fortin said the timing of Zink's departure with Ballantyne's was purely coincidental.

"In the last little while we've brought in annual performance reviews and measures . . . so as we move forward we're introducing more modern employment practices and that's working through the system," he said.

bcleverley@tc.canwest.com
© Copyright © The Victoria Times Colonist

[spanky123]

"In the last little while we have brought in performance review ..."

WTF! Is Fortin implying that we have been operating city hall without performance reviews or evaluations for employees and now that we have started doing them staff are walking?

So we (taxpayer) get to pay for someone else to move on. How about every time this happens we take the extra "settlement" monies from the pay raises of the Mayor and council?

[G-Man]

Wow that is a shock.

A side note they should consider changing the name of the department to the "

Party Planning Department or The Department to Plan Partys

Anyways sounds like there is MUCH more to the story

[martini]

Anyways sounds like there is MUCH more to the story

Possibly. I do find the TC language very confusing though. The headline is 'resign', but the first sentence is 'dismissed', then it's an 'operational decision'.
So what is it then?

[spanky123]

From Jan '08 when Ms. Ballantyne tried to explain to the TC why she authorized hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to pay severance payments to 3 managers.

To avoid paying large severance packages in future, Ballantyne has put performance objectives in place for senior staff. She has also set explicit performance goals with council for herself.

[Ms. B. Havin]

I also found the headline (thought up by an editor?) in direct conflict with what Bill Cleverley wrote. I think "operational decision" and "dismissed" go together (as Cleverley wrote), but "resigned" doesn't, so I'm guessing the headline is a mess-up (way to go, TC).

Aside from that, I'd really like some more details on this...

[Rob Randall]

This was a bit of a surprise. Zink was a pretty powerful person at City Hall.

She had the social planning portfolio which was a pretty big one considering it included just about everything having to do with housing, shelters and the homeless. In addition, she oversaw arts policy and a few other things.

I have no idea why she was let go. I know she was respected by everyone in the Social Service Providers community, that is, the various non-profits and other local agencies that oversee social issues. Maybe that was the problem--maybe Fortin thought things needed shaking up a bit, maybe these agencies need tougher loving. You'll recall the Mayor's Task Force report said a lot more cooperation and coordination between all these agencies is needed. So it's a big question mark. Anyway, people liked her and she seemed to do her job well.

There's this huge vacuum at City Hall right now. Two of the biggest jobs are vacant plus we're still waiting for Council portfolios to be handed out. Committees are meeting but there are no Councillors there to observe. Victoria's neighbourhood Community Associations continue to be without Council representation.

[mat]

This was a bit of a surprise. Zink was a pretty powerful person at City Hall.
There's this huge vacuum at City Hall right now. Two of the biggest jobs are vacant plus we're still waiting for Council portfolios to be handed out. Committees are meeting but there are no Councillors there to observe. Victoria's neighbourhood Community Associations continue to be without Council representation.

That is what I find interesting - are people abandoning ship under the new regime? Does Fortin have the management skills and the personal energy to get immediate action to make council, and all the 'parts' of the City structure, working together? As mentioned, 2 of the top people have left - but the news that portfolios are still in limbo and Committees are meeting without council oversight illustrates dysfunction.

Saanich seems to have its act together - including a new initiative to get Police Block Watch more support. What is going on in Victoria City Hall?