1208 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

So what issue(s) do you think should be covered but were not?

 

I think municipal STAFF should have had nothing to do with producing this document, that's my point.  You can't put your hands into the political process.

[spanky123]

Ya, that can be seen as a negative.  Because to solid left-wingers, "reduced taxes" can only mean staff lay-offs, lower wages, or service cuts.

 

Ok but Saanich employees are also taxpayers.

 

I don't think that this rises to the level of gross negligence or interference which would be the thresholds necessary to fire the CAO. This smacks of Atwell realizing that he jumped the gun and now trying to retroactively justify his actions.

 

I am as right leaning as the next person and did not vote for FL either, but I think that Atwell and his supporters are heading down a path that the broader public opinion isn't going to support. Atwell is putting himself in a position where he may not be able to get much of his agenda accomplished if he is battling the staff at every step.

[spanky123]

I think municipal STAFF should have had nothing to do with producing this document, that's my point.  You can't put your hands into the political process.

 

Lets accept your argument that Saanich staff should not have spent time on this. The harm is that 34 people at a scheduled meeting saw the outline and discussed it. Atwell won the election.

[rjag]

Its a document produced with the Saanich logo so therefore can be considered a formal document and may have been paid for using taxpayers $'s.....for what reason? One would suspect as noted here that if it was shared with managers it was a briefing document giving folks a heads up as to candidates positions.

 

Doesn't make sense though as to why

[spanky123]

Its a document produced with the Saanich logo so therefore can be considered a formal document and may have been paid for using taxpayers $'s.....for what reason? One would suspect as noted here that if it was shared with managers it was a briefing document giving folks a heads up as to candidates positions.

 

Doesn't make sense though as to why

 

From the minutes it looks like this was some sort of monthly managers meeting and that this was part of the informational content. Who knows, perhaps one or more of the managers had suggested it as an agenda topic. Atwell was on CFAX today stating that he wasn't aware of who initiated this so it wasn't tied to the firing of the CAO.

[Bernard]

I am not sure the purpose of the document, but a normal procedure is for senior management of a government to understand what changes might be coming from an election.   In Canada we have a very short transition between an election and people being sworn in, the civil service has to be prepared to some extent to start to implement the new agenda.   The bigger the municipality, the more prep is done.  For the provincial governmet it is very extensive

 

This document does not look like that this is what it does, but we do not have the discussion from the meeting.   It may be the first time something like this had been tried by managers because they may have understood change was coming.  

 

Meanwhile, as to the CAO going (or not), I do not have enough public information to know what happened when and by whom.   On the surface of it the process seems to have been less than stellar.    Richard Atwell should likely not have approached Paul Murray until he met with council in camera.    It is there that he should have made his case for why he would like to see the CAO leave and hopefully managed to get council buy in.

 

I do not know where things stand now, but the mayor needs to either have Paul Murray agree to resign or get the council to support the removal of the CAO.   The release of the document by the mayor may make the resignation of the CAO probable.       

[spanky123]

Judging by the article in the Saanich News it sounds like Murray isn't resigning and Atwell doesn't have the votes to replace him.

[jonny]

Judging by the article in the Saanich News it sounds like Murray isn't resigning and Atwell doesn't have the votes to replace him.

 

And that's why you shouldn't tell a guy/gal to pack their bags before you know damn sure you have the cards in your hand needed to get rid of him.

[Mixed365]

And that's why you shouldn't tell a guy/gal to pack their bags before you know damn sure you have the cards in your hand needed to get rid of him.

 

Yeah, now he has just made the situation worse for himself. Very amateur move. 

[David Bratzer]

The Saanich Chief Administrative Officer was not at work today, according to this CTV segment:

 

http://vancouverisla...o?clipId=514526

[sebberry]

The Saanich Chief Administrative Officer was not at work today, according to this CTV segment:

 

http://vancouverisla...o?clipId=514526

 

I still don't like him.

[spanky123]

The Saanich Chief Administrative Officer was not at work today, according to this CTV segment:

 

http://vancouverisla...o?clipId=514526

 

I like Atwell's quote . . "the role of council is to ratify my decisions"

Edited by spanky123, 15 December 2014 - 08:45 PM.

[sebberry]

I liked his "No comment" comment.... 

 

He didn't look too comfortable in that interview. 

[Rob Randall]

 

 

This document does not look like that this is what it does, but we do not have the discussion from the meeting.   It may be the first time something like this had been tried by managers because they may have understood change was coming.  

 

The weird thing is it doesn't fit any useful category. It's really a brainless report. I know we are missing the accompanying dialogue but you have to admit any serious strategy document does not need the confusing inclusion of Shebib as a credible candidate. A serious strategy document would have practical scenarios--for example, an Atwell win would put focus on the Hwy 1 interchange so would staff time spent on this impact other infrastructure project on the drawing board. There's nothing useful, just superficial cheerleading; "Leonard; the best is yet to come". Come on, seriously? It's a good thing I wasn't in on that meeting because there'd be a lot of eye rolling going on.

Edited by Rob Randall, 15 December 2014 - 09:38 PM.

[Sparky]

^ that was his whole future platform wasn't it. All of his other topics were history.

[spanky123]

The weird thing is it doesn't fit any useful category. It's really a brainless report. I know we are missing the accompanying dialogue but you have to admit any serious strategy document does not need the confusing inclusion of Shebib as a credible candidate. A serious strategy document would have practical scenarios--for example, an Atwell win would put focus on the Hwy 1 interchange so would staff time spent on this impact other infrastructure project on the drawing board. There's nothing useful, just superficial cheerleading; "Leonard; the best is yet to come". Come on, seriously? It's a good thing I wasn't in on that meeting because there'd be a lot of eye rolling going on.

 

Don't think it was a strategy doc. Looks like someone slapped together all of the candidates public info and positions.

[pherthyl]

Don't think it was a strategy doc. Looks like someone slapped together all of the candidates public info and positions.

 

Difficult to tell if it was the product of incompetence or malice.   Normally I bet on incompetence.

[Sparky]

Maybe it was supposed to be a strategy doc and it came up short. If it was just for curiosity then it still came up short.

 

If my employees spent company time on company computers using company ink doing that without being ordered to do so by someone with authority....they would be looking for a new company.

[sebberry]

If my employees spent company time on company computers using company ink doing that without being ordered to do so by someone with authority....they would be looking for a new company.

 

But it's called taking initiative and trying something new!  I've come up with lots of good things on company time that I wasn't asked to do.  But they turned out better than that thing...

[sebberry]

Saanich mayor forces out CAO; council condemns action

 

Actions taken by Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell to force chief administrator Paul Murray out the door have been condemned by his council and will cost the municipality $480,000.

 

After hours of in-camera sessions spread out over several days, Saanich issued a statement Tuesday evening saying the municipality and Murray have “mutually agreed” to part company.

 

[...]

 

 

 

See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.eI8biDic.dpuf