LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

Who Should Be Hamilton's Next City Manager

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted March 25, 2008)

With Glen Peace’s imminent retirement, Hamilton City Council has launched a broad process to hire his replacement as City Manager, our community’s top bureaucratic position.

As I stated in an earlier article, Glen Peace has done a great job as City Manager, more than earning his $220,000.00 salary. He has, surprisingly, decided to move on however, so a search is necessary. Council can learn some lessons from the previous three City Managers we have had since amalgamation. Their style of leadership and the results achieved, or not, can be important markers to consider in deciding who might be the next person in the hot seat.

We have had the Doug Lychak style, which was widely perceived to be contemptuous of the political side of the equation, yet was also one which contained a ‘change agent’ role within it, thereby attracting both ire and admiration. Ire was derived mostly from the political class and the unions who saw Mr. Lychak’s tactics as not being supportive of the front line worker, while admiration was forthcoming from those who felt that someone needed to take charge of the changes needed in a neglected culture like Hamilton’s. It is certainly true that while Doug Lychak headed the Transition Board, which was appointed to oversee the amalgamation process, he did make changes. He gutted many departments and bloated others. The post-amalgamation staffing plan looked decidedly different than its pre-amalgamation version, but it needed to. We not only melded the Region into the city bureaucracy, but all of the other municipalities were rolled into one. His mistake was in neglecting to obtain support from the political class as he was making his moves, and this came back to bite him. I always supported Mr. Lychak, but there were those on Council who to this day refer to his departure as necessary to ‘de-Lychak’ the system.

So, characteristic number one: make sure you respect the political class as you make bold decisions.

We have also had the Bob Robertson style. He was the controversial City Manager whose dismissal I had a hand in. He came to us from a very small community out west, loaded with impressive paper credentials but possessing little experience in running a big city like Hamilton. He also arrived encumbered by a certain issue that took place in his former community, something that he failed to disclose to the interviewing committee in Hamilton as well as another municipality he went to after leaving Hamilton. That issue was shrugged off here once it became public knowledge, but it cost him his job in the other jurisdiction even before he worked there for one day. Locally, he was perceived by his management team to not be hands on enough; and obviously did not have the support of the political team at City Hall, since they were willing to dismiss him without cause. He also didn’t seem to have the admiration that Mr. Lychak enjoyed in the community, as evidenced by a reporter asking when I was running for Mayor the first time, what I intended to do about the Robertson issue. That was my first inkling that a change might be needed.

So, the second characteristic is to be hands on, and to secure the support of your stakeholder groups when doing your job. It also goes without saying that full disclosure of successes and failures is always the best policy when applying for jobs.

It was interesting to read in the paper that Mayor Fred isn’t looking for ‘a change agent’ in this position; he wants someone ‘to provide stability’. It is interesting that in his inaugural address, the Mayor said that ‘change is coming’. I wonder how his current thought squares with the previous one. Nevertheless, his is a crucial voice in the selection of the new person. A Mayor must be able to trust and work with the political side and this is a golden opportunity for Fred to find someone who is in synch with his thinking. I hope the rest of Council concede this crucial point to the Mayor.

I note that Council has also launched a process that will see applications come from outside as well as within the organization. That is good. Whoever is chosen will therefore be deemed to be the best of a wide field rather than the best of a shallow pool. However, the Robertson experience should teach Council not to trust the advice given by head hunting firms alone. Someone on Council, preferably the Mayor, should take it upon himself to call all the references provided and ask penetrating questions about any of the issues that come out of interviews. With all due respect to head hunters, it is Council, and by extension the community, who will have to live with the decision made, not the firm hired to bring you names of potential candidates.

I am sure that outside candidates will apply. However, there are some deserving internal ones as well. The local pool is not shallow at all; it is quite deep and talented. Here are a few people I know who might be interested in the job, or whom Council should encourage to apply. This is not in any particular order of preference. I admire all of the ones mentioned here.

Joe Rinaldo: Current General Manager of Finance. He actually held the job on an interim basis when Doug Lychak left. He is savvy, experienced and knows the finances of this city like no one else. He may be ready to retire, however. He is also regarded with suspicion by some Councillors who think he ‘hides’ money. This criticism is more an affirmation of some Councillors not willing to recognize our financial straits than it is about Joe’s performance.

JoAnn Priel: Current General Manager of Community Services. She is a great administrator. She is absolutely loved by virtually all of her staff. She is not afraid of making decisions and has a ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ style which is always appreciated. She has nurtured an impossible portfolio dealing with all the social agencies and welfare programs in the city, but has also accumulated experience in the parks and recreation side of the equation. It was JoAnn who inspired the poverty initiatives in the city. To my knowledge she doesn’t have financial experience, and Council may not want to project the image of a ‘welfare’ city with her appointment to the highest position. This would be an unfair knock on a very talented person.

Scott Stewart: Current General Manager of Public Works. Scott has had a meteoric rise through the ranks of our administration. He was brought into the amalgamated city from Peel to look after our waste programs and was appointed when Peter Crockett left the GM’s job for Halton. He is charming, politically savvy and gets along with Councillors. He has a very good work ethic and a sixth political sense which is always helpful in Hamilton. His paper qualifications may not be as good as those of other candidates, but his real-life experience in major initiatives will stand him in good stead. The fact that he might be perceived as being too close to some Councillors may recall bygone days when some members of Council interfered with administrative decisions. This is only perception, however: my experience as a Councillor and Mayor was that Scott was fair to everyone, and he is certainly capable of saying ‘no’. He just knows how to do that in a nice way, and that isn’t bad.

Chris Murray: Current Manager of Housing. Chris is a real talent in the city of Hamilton. He is the person who managed the Red Hill Valley project for almost his entire career. He knows how to speak to Council, the community and stakeholders, even when they are angry. He is a consummate professional who really does see the big picture in all matters. His one knock is that he hasn’t been a General Manager, but there are GM’s who haven’t ever had to handle a project as complicated, costly, delicate and important to the city as the Red Hill project. Chris should be given a real look, if he is interested in the job. If he isn’t, someone should tap him on the shoulder and ask him to apply.

Tim McCabe: Current General Manager of Economic Development and Planning. Tim is also a very talented person on our roster. He has enjoyed a meteoric rise in our administration. Tim understands development and the economic drivers that will make us an economically sustainable city. He is honest and blunt with Councillors. He knows how to ‘sell’ ideas but doesn’t sugar coat. He helps Councillors when they need help but tells them to back off when he has to as well. He too should be encouraged.

Jim Harnum: Current Manager of Water and Waste Water. Jim is a bright young man. He is handling a major asset and portfolio with aplomb. He knows how to talk and he knows how to get results. He is very young, but should be encouraged to look at positions beyond the one he has.

Beth Goodger: Current Manager of our Waste programs. Beth too is a talented person. She is handling a major part of our city’s program in effective ways. She has a ‘vision’ for a green sustainable city and that should stand her in good stead with the environmentalists on Council. She is also very nice. Maybe too nice for the job. Although she has steely nerves as well.

Ken Roberts: Currently our Chief Librarian. Ken isn’t known by Councillors or the public beyond those whom he serves in the library world. He is an accomplished author, a great administrator and someone with great success at ‘amalgamation’. He amalgamated the library system in the old city and Wentworth County without a hitch and much kudos. He also understands strategic planning, goal setting and goal achievement. He too should be encouraged.

Duncan Gillespie: Currently Head of HECFI. People may not automatically think of Duncan because he is somewhat removed from the day-to-day operations of the city. However, they should. He has turned HECFI around after a period of tumult. He has vision, a work ethic and good administrative skills. He is not afraid to make tough decisions and has a marketing flair. He should apply, or be encouraged to if he doesn’t think of it.

Jim Kay: Currently General Manager of EMS. He is a hard working, supportive staff member. He gets along with unions and he understands the importance of moving the city forward. He also gets along with Councillors and I’ve seen him handle tricky community issues with finesse. He is an asset to the community.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson: Currently Medical Officer of Health. Dr. Richardson administers one of the most important portfolios in the whole city: public health. She is young, bright and articulate. She is highly respected provincially. The challenge for her is to prove to Councillors that she can administer beyond the health file, and that she is willing to share information in a timely way. However, Council generally respects Dr. Richardson and her talents make her an individual not to dismiss lightly.

Well, as you can see, the pool is deep. And these are only the people I know in the organization. There may be others who feel that they are quite ready. By the way, there is one more name, and this is an outsider’s name: Bill Allcock. He was Stoney Creek’s CAO before amalgamation and went on to Haldimand where, for all I know, he may still be. His background is in EcDev matters. He would really be worth interviewing.

We will keep an eye on this process to see how it develops. It is an important one.

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