Nanaimo City Hall - Series #3

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New City Manager Appointed - No Job Search

Once again this city council demonstrates why they are completely redundant. Think about it, when was the last time they did anything except put a rubber stamp on what city staff recommends?

The latest appointing of Mr. Swabey as city manager, on the recommendation of Mr. Kenning, I understand, is yet another reason to simply abolish council altogether and elect the top managers at city hall instead.

Council Relies On Our 'Professional Staff'

City Councillors, some more than others are always singing the praises of and their total confidence in the ability and opinion of our 'professional staff'. This raises two questions which need addressing:

1. If city council puts all this blind faith in city staff, they (council) are really redundant and we should be saving the $300,000+ a year they cost Nanaimo taxpayers.
2. Since our 'professional staff' are among the highest paid in the Province of BC, what exactly are their qualifications as 'professionals'? You will notice that on all of our glossy city of Nanaimo information, it is impossible to find a page listing the bios of our highly paid, professional staff. Why is that?

New City Manager - Third In A Row 'Learning on the Job'

Anyone with more than a passing interest in how qualified our chief managers are might want to do a little research and perhaps ask their favourite councillor why they think that hiring from within, and training on the job, is good policy.

I believe that Mr. Berry came to the city of Nanaimo and improved himself by taking courses at Malaspina College and learned the job of city manager 'on the job'.

Mr. Kenning I believe is an accountant who was appointed city manager when Mr. Berry took his golden handshake (who put those cushy deals in place?) and decided to take an early retirement. Mr. Kenning also has been learning on the job with the $16 million new annex, the $1 sale of the old annex and the Colliery Dam, $30 million to replace, projects to his credit.

Enter Mr. Swabey, whose credentials aren't published either, whom we presume will be another city manager engaged in the 'learning on the job program' this city council seems to embrace.

Am I the only one who has a hard time swallowing the fact that out of 9800 employees in the 'local government' segment in the entire province our own city manager ranked 46, and we have to hire from within, and then provide on the job training?

City Council May Not Be Competent To Hire City Manager

One other explanation for not going to an external job search is the fact that this council is simply not competent when it comes to being able to judge the qualities needed to be a good city manager, and so once again they rely on a staff recommendation.

Tell me again, why we need this city council?