McGuire buyout a good decision, says Gale
NRP board chair predicts police budget must climb higher
The chair of the Niagara Regional Police Services board Bob Gale called the nearly million dollars spent to get former police chief Jeff McGuire to retire early was a “good business decision.”
Gale, a regional councillor for Niagara Falls, made the remarks during Thursday’s budget review committee meeting, during which he also said the $143.5million police budget will likely increase by four per cent in 2019.
“We don’t have a hope in hell on this,” said Gale, referring to suggestions by other councillors that the Region should limit 2019 budget increases to two per cent or less.
“Our wage will increase by 1.95 per cent this year. We have taken from reserves. We’ve cut back officers. We’ve got Niagara-onthe-Lake asking for officers. We’ve got St. Catharines asking for new officers. Do the math.”
Gale, who did not respond to an interview request by The Standard Friday, said the police board is “up against the eight ball” when it comes to tamping down increases to the NRP budget.
“Increase in crime supports an increase in officers. We don’t have an increase in crime. Our officers are doing a fine job.
“But we have got to replenish some of our reserves,” he said.
NRP financial reserves were depleted by the services board after the NRP ran a $7-million deficit in 2017 — the second consecutive year of police budget deficits.
The board drained $4.6 million from multiple reserve funds and asked regional council to fund the remaining $2.4 million.
According to NRP documents, the deficit was in part driven by $1.9 million in “unbudgeted retirements and sick leave.”
A significant portion of that unbudgeted expense was the retirement payout given to McGuire.
The former chief had intended to serve until his contract expired in 2020 but some board members wanted him out.
Sources familiar with NRP management told The Standard some board members were frustrated McGuire’s contract ex-
tended beyond this October’s municipal election, thereby denying them the opportunity to hire a police chief of their own choosing.
McGuire was paid $870,000 in cash over two payments, along with benefits, his computer and phone and his service-modified Buick Enclave. The total retirement package is worth nearly $1 million.
The board then promoted McGuire’s deputy chief Bryan MacCulloch to chief.
As a result, Niagara taxpayers paid more than $482,000 for the salaries of two chiefs in 2017, according to the annual sunshine list of government employees who earn more than $100,000 annually.
During the budget committee meeting, Gale defended the buyout as a smart decision.
“Now, you want to bring back to the retirement settlement, that was ($870,000) and the chief ’s on board with replenishing that within three years. It was a good business decision on that,” Gale said.
He also said it was unrealistic to expect the police board to limit the NRP budget increase to two per cent or less for 2019.