Probe ordered on governance of Chestermere
City staffers, residents allege bullying and intimidation by mayor and council
The province has ordered a formal investigation of the City of Chestermere's municipal government.
Municipal Affairs Minister Ric Mciver is ordering the probe of the city with a population of 23,000 east of Calgary after the conclusion of a preliminary review launched in March. That review was in response to claims made by Chestermere city staffers and residents of bullying, intimidation, cronyism and procedural malfeasance contravening the Municipal Government Act by Mayor Jeff Colvin and members of council.
“Alberta Municipal Affairs has completed its preliminary review of the City of Chestermere and ordered an inspection. An independent contractor has been appointed to carry out the inspection to determine whether any legislative contraventions or improper conduct has occurred,” said Scott Johnston, Mciver's press secretary.
Municipal inspections are investigations into local governments ordered by the minister of municipal affairs after a request by a municipality's council, a petition by the public or when serious issues are brought to the department's attention.
The department said the investigation process typically takes between six and 18 months. When the inspection is complete, the minister can order council and administration to do “whatever is necessary” to fix any issues found.
The department did not divulge what prompted it to order an inspection, nor did it reveal the name of the contractor.
Colvin did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Postmedia.
When the preliminary review was launched in March, Colvin said he expected it to find nothing wrong and that the review wouldn't progress beyond the preliminary stage.
He vehemently denied the claims of impropriety, which he said were made by staff members unhappy with his probes into alleged past municipal wrongdoings, adding that's the reason “a lot of staff are walking, running away.”
Multiple city hall sources, who requested anonymity due to fears of repercussion, have estimated that staff losses through resignations, firings or stress and medical leaves have reached into the dozens since the election of the mayor and council in October. The city did not respond to requests for an official count of staff turnover.
Employees began a union drive in January as concerns around job security grew, and are still awaiting the results of the vote conducted in March. The Canadian Union of Public Employees and the city are butting heads over the inclusion of about 20 employees into the would-be bargaining unit. CUPE says an Alberta Labour Relations Board arbitration hearing is scheduled for May 26 and 27, and votes will remain sealed to be counted after the dispute is settled.
The city's three top administrators have all left their jobs within the past month.
Since restructuring its chief administrative officer role into three positions — all of whom report to and are hired by council — in February, the city has seen four people move in and out of the high-level positions, and is about to welcome a fifth.
Jill Steeves, city director of corporate services, and Mark Wolynice, city director of community operations, both quit during the week of May 9.
Council initially brought Steeves in to replace Harminder Pattar, who held the role for roughly two weeks before resigning in mid-february. The city director of community growth and development position, previously held by Jeff Gibeau, is also vacant.
All four were meant to hold the roles on an interim basis for a sixmonth contract, running through June, while the city looked for permanent candidates to fill the positions at the end of the contracts.