Hamilton’s city manager leaving for same post in Toronto
Council will be looking for a top administrator and problem solver to fill vacancy at city hall
HAMILTON’S CITY MANAGER Chris Murray is leaving to take the top job at the City of Toronto — as Hamilton’s LRT project teeters on the political precipice.
Murray will start his new gig as head of Canada’s largest municipal bureaucracy on Aug. 13, following a vote by Toronto city council to hire him Wednesday.
That means a new top bureaucrat will be faced with implementing whatever vision a post-election Hamilton council has for a controversial $1-billion light rail transit line — the biggest, most costly infrastructure project in city history.
The 56-year-old Murray — who is leaving behind one LRT battle for an even more divisive subway-versus-light-rail debate in Toronto — expressed confidence the Hamilton management team he has assembled is up to the task.
“That project does not hinge on one individual, I guarantee you that,” Murray said Wednesday.
He acknowledged both provincial and local politicians could still choose to switch gears on the project, which is expected to become a city election football this fall.
Premier-designate Doug Ford has said he would allow council to use the LRT money for other priorities — even though Metrolinx has spent nearly $80 million on the project and forced dozens of residents along the route out of their homes.
But until or if that happens, “We’re not stopping,” Murray said.
“I wake up every day, as does everyone else working on it, thinking we’re looking to finish this project. Full stop.”
A city manager is a mix of top administrator, diplomat, problem solv-
er and political firefighter.
He or she is hired by and directly responsible to council, and typically has a salary in the range of $200,000 in Hamilton.
The city manager is the only bureaucrat with permission to spend up to $250,000 on individual reports or projects without requiring a vote of council.
The soft-spoken, conciliatory Murray was a surprise Hamilton hire in 2009, getting the top job over more senior city bureaucrats. He developed an early reputation as a problem solver by stickhandling the most controversial infrastructure project in Hamilton prior to the LRT, the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
That long-planned, $245-million road through an eco-sensitive creek valley divided city voters, spurred protests by environmentalists and Indigenous residents, and even resulted in a years-long lawsuit against the federal government.
Coun. Sam Merulla called that project and Murray’s subsequent hiring as city manager “two of the biggest turning points in Hamilton since amalgamation.”
“Before those two things happened we had a stagnant city, and a divided council ... It was a very us-versus-them mentality between council and senior staff,” he said.
Before Murray’s hiring, council and senior bureaucrats had resorted to hiring a “facilitator” to work out their differences under previous city manager Glen Peace. His predecessor, Bob Robertson, was fired by council.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said he has “mixed emotions” about his city manager’s departure, calling him a “progressive force for positive change.”
He also suggested the hiring proves Hamilton is “increasingly recognized as a place that is well-run and things are happening in a very progressive way.”
Murray’s reputation for compromise and apparent ability to walk a political tightrope obviously appealed to Toronto’s politicians.
“He understands the spirit of partnership … with council,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory this morning in announcing the hire at that city’s council meeting.
“He’s calm and zen, but he can be tough,” added Toronto Coun. Mary-Margaret McMahon.
“And of course he needs to be tough, to deal with us at times,” she said.
In Hamilton, Murray successfully waded through many bitter political battles — even if not all residents were satisfied with the results.
He presided over a compromise on arearated taxation for many services in amalgamated communities, for example — but didn’t touch transit. Round two in that taxation battle still looms over the next council.
Murray also played a pivotal role in helping broker a Pan Am stadium location compromise — but only after several families and businesses were needlessly forced to move out of their west harbour homes.
The city’s top administrator has also struggled to fix a series of high-profile “culture” problems ranging from questionable spending on consultants, to sexual harassment in the HSR, to what an arbitrator memorably condemned as a “culture of low expectations” in the roads department.
He said Wednesday he is proud of the “ongoing improvement” he sees in the results of the latest surveys of citizens and employees.
“We have been working hard to engage our front-line workers, our managers,” he said. “I like the idea that we’re improving.”
Murray won’t be here to see how the LRT debate turns out.
But other city-transforming projects that started on his watch are well underway, including the trapping of historical harbour pollution at Randle Reef and the reimagining of the desolate Pier 8 waterfront into a built-from-scratch community of 1,300 condo and townhouse units.
“The best move Michele (wife) and I ever made was travelling down the 403 to Hamilton in June 1995 to see what the city was all about,” he wrote in a resignation letter emailed to all councillors.
“Since that time our adventures together have helped transform this city in many physical and operational ways.”
It’s not yet clear whether the task of searching out a new leader for the city’s 7,300-plus workers will be undertaken prior to the election or left to a new council.
Hamilton’s finance head Mike Zegarac will assume the role of acting city manager for the time being.