Transparency at City Hall?

The article in The Guardian about staffing strife and city employees wanting to unionize shows deep frustrations exist at City Hall. Any labour questions or grievances should be addressed promptly, otherwise trouble will ensue and work performance suffers. Employees should not fear retribution from the boss for making a grievance or speaking up. The article shows the old patriarchal style management at work with ham-fisted attitudes towards employees.

In this case vacant positions are quickly filled with whomever happens to be on someone’s short list. The explanation of HR Manager Terry MacLeod, quoted in the article, to proceed this way is at best laughable. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge on how public administration works knows that you can hold a position open until it is filled by going through proper job posting, vetting and competition. Anyone parachuted into a job will need at least six months just to get comfortable with the workload and in this case do we know if these individuals are qualified for the job? No wonder the City employees are angry.

Again the residents and the councillors are left in the dark. Why proceed with haste, why risk labour trouble, why give the public the impression of nepotism? The mayor won’t say and CAO Kelly, who reports to the mayor, won’t comment. Is this the open government style of City Hall under Mayor Lee? So as a resident of this town I am left to wonder why are there no clear answers and accountability?

Laurent Beaulieu, Charlottetown, Ward 1