NPCA board members may be censured for CAO remarks
It appears some of the political dysfunction that marked the past term of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority board has returned.
Sources said an NPCA staffer is working on a report that could result in two board members — Barb Greenwood, a Niagara Falls regional councillor, and Jeff Jordan, mayor of Grimsby — being censured for comments made to The Standard about finding a replacement for acting chief administrative officer David Barrick.
“Both of the comments expressed in the paper can warrant an action,” said board chairman Dave Bylsma. “That’s all I can say at this point. I don’t know if there is going to be a trigger pulled at this point.”
A motion to censure members would require a two-thirds majority of the board.
Jordan’s remark being scrutinized was made last week. He said of the acting CAO, “It would be nice to have someone in that role we could actually have confidence in.”
Greenwood told the newspaper Barrick should have “been gone a long time ago.”
Bylsma, who is mayor of West Lincoln, said he believes Jordan and Greenwood are frustrated.
“Unfortunately, as politicians, that’s not an emotion we can hold onto when we are in public office,” Bylsma said. “The sentiment they express — valid or otherwise — are their own, but it is not what they can vent publicly.
“There is a protocol mayors and councillors must follow. I have spoken to them about their comments.”
Jordan said Tuesday it his intention to make sure he follows the NPCA code of conduct moving forward.
“I probably erred on the side of frustration and aired a personal statement as a board member of the NPCA that may have stepped over the line,” he said. “On a personal level, the speed with which things are moving at the NPCA is frustrating. I may have made a mistake by mentioning someone by name. That is the opinion of one side. It is one of those grey areas for me because I was elected for openness and accountability and making things right.”
Jordan said he hasn’t decided how he would respond if the board moves to censure him.
“I will just let this unfold,” he said. “I’m old school. My word means something. I probably don’t speak as much as other politicians or mayors, but I stand on my integrity and honesty. That’s where I am right now. I am open and honest about it. There are probably some people that don’t want that.”
Contacted Monday, Greenwood said she wasn’t in a position to comment.
She did share a phone message Bylsma left her on the weekend.
“We are in a kind of a pickle because of the comments in The Standard,” Bylsma said. “I have seen the drafts of a formal complaint with respect to your comments in the paper disparaging one of the staff members, David Barrick.
“I know he is not anywhere close to being your favourite person in the world. Nevertheless, it creates a big challenge for the whole organization as the board moves forward with the comments in the paper.
“Can you give me a call and tell me what you think — whether you want to dig in, which would be very bad — or you could solve the problem by retracting what you said in the paper and printing an apology or some measure alleviating it. That would be very helpful.”
The interim members of the board from Niagara have been on the job for little more than a month. They have yet to receive an orientation, which would fully explained their responsibilities and the NPCA’s code of conduct.
Barrick has been a lightning rod at the agency since he gave up his seat on the board and was hired as an administrator. The staff position was created after he unsuccessfully applied for another job. the new position wasn’t advertised publicly and he was hired while the CAO was on vacation. Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk flagged the hiring in her report on the agency last year.
In December, The Standard reported, then-CAO Mark Brickell fired Barrick, who was director of corporate services, on Nov. 23. The NPCA board at the time responded by firing Brickell on Dec. 6. That same day, NPCA clerk Lisa McManus was promoted to acting chief administrative officer. She reinstated Barrick before going on a leave from which she has yet to return. Four days after his return, Barrick was named acting chief administrative officer, although neither members of the past or current NPCA board or administration will say who approved the appointment.
Brickell is suing the agency over his dismissal.