SO MANY QUESTIONS....SO FEW ANSWERS

Supposing I'm right and Council has agreed to retain a consultant on a six month contract to  recruit the new CAO and serve as Interim Chief Administrative Officer at the same time.  What does he bring to the job ?

From the release provided  on the Town's web site, he has advised many other municipalities. Of what?

Municipalities provide a basic level of services. Many similarities exist between them. But none are precisely alike.  

Different problems and priorities needing to be resolved.

A  parachutee ....no matter how smart ,knowledgable or experienced,  cannot simply pick up where another left off. 

Pending  decisions like disposition of redundant buildings will have a definite stay of execution.For a minimum of six months but probably longer. 

Directors of Departments  will have the responsibility of bringing the new and interim chappie up to speed. 

Aurora has an eight member management team.  Each with authority for a  department and substantial staff resources. Each has a  record of  competence which should be known to Councillors and  the Mayor.  

Each director has a different level of institutional history. 

Some are better known in the community than others. Some know the community better than others.

Each has had ample opportunity to demonstrate level of competence. 

Last we read,  the Mayor and Human Resources Manager ( both on the sunshine list) were delegated to  develop terms  of reference for the  position of CAO. 

A job description is already at hand. Lord knows we've seen enough organizational charts. 

But that's not what they recommended .The Mayor and HR did not do as  Council directed. 

Instead, an outside consultant on a six month contract to act as Interim Chief Admknistrative Officer and assist in recruiting a  Chief Administrative Officer  is recommended. 

It creates a needless hiatus in town business. 

Nothing commends it. 

Cost of the exercise is not indicated. 

Will the town advertise the job and conduct interviews? There's a known cost for that route. We have the staff resources on hand. 

Will the town retain a head -hunter consultant? Fees can be determined for that service too. 

Is  a consultant  needed to advise  Council which decision to make? Isn't that part of their job? 

Has consideration been given to promotion from within? If not, why not?  There must be a rationale. 

From the sunshine list, we know the CAO job pays $220,000 a year.  Are we not entitled to share the logic that determines the means of filling that position? Who is accountable? 

Maybe we should spend less time worrying about cell phone towers, how best to deliver mail  and  why a Howard Johnston Hotel did not succeed in Aurora and more time talking about things that are town business and Council's responsibility.  

BTW , the town's economic development department has at least two planners on staff. One on the sunshine list.  Why is  the hotel's failure such a deep dark secret?

Isn't that their  job to know ? 

If it isn't ....what is?