City manager resigns
Strain cites personal reasons for resignation
City council has formally accepted the resignation of City Manager Bramwell Strain “with regret.” “Mr. Strain served city council in a manner which exceeded our expectations,” said a solemn Mayor Chris Spearman during a press briefing in city council chamber Tuesday afternoon. “He was a decisive manager, a great communicator, who won the confidence of employees, organizations and citizens.”
Strain will be leaving Jan. 13 for personal reasons, confirmed Spearman, and council has allowed him the privilege of appointing his own acting city manager designate as he prepares to depart. Spearman admitted council had known of Strain’s intention to resign Oct. 15, but had asked him to keep it under his hat while they completed Phase One of the KPMG operational review and got Phase Two underway so as not to distract from the process.
“We remain committed to our strategic plan and the operational review process during this time of transition,” confirmed Spearman.
Spearman said council had been “shocked” and “surprised” by Strain’s decision to resign, and credited Strain for helping the community and City take several necessary steps forward in his 16 months of service. Spearman and councillors Joe Mauro, Belinda Crowson and Jeffrey Coffman will be part of the transition committee seeking to hire Strain’s replacement.
Spearman perhaps paid Strain the highest compliment when asked by reporters what that transition team would be looking for in their new city manager.
“We are looking for an individual with many of the same skills as Mr. Strain,” he said simply. “We want someone who is focused on change management. We feel the City still needs to have that external view.”
Strain confirmed to reporters he has no other job offers on the table at the moment, and his departure was strictly for individual and personal reasons, which he did not wish to elaborate on. He said it had been a great honour to work with the citizens of Lethbridge these past 16 months, and to work collaboratively with city council members and his staff.
“I am leaving for personal reasons, and that is it. That is all,” he said.
He hoped whoever his successor was would continue on the path the operational review had set out.
“I think we’re on the right track,” Strain said. “I think the operational review process Phase One, where decisions have already been made, and Phase Two, which is moving forward, has put us on the right track. It is about efficiencies. It’s about doing things right. It’s about respecting the wishes and wants of community and council on the direction set. I would say take it further. Take it to the next step.”
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