Wabana discord: Mandatory training for councillors needed, says consultant
It's been five days since an explosive town council meeting in Wabana and the very public firing of a part-time municipal employee who found out about his fate minutes later by hearing of a message I posted on Twitter.
The unusual incident raised eyebrows among some municipal observers and those who specialize in employee relations.
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At least one expert on municipal affairs believes disputes like this could be avoided if training was mandatory for municipal politicians.
Gerard Lewis, the former chief administrative officer for the City of Mount Pearl, says conflicts like the one ripping apart the Wabana town council are unnecessary.
"If you get off on the right foot and understand your roles and responsibilities, you have a much better chance of being a successful council," he said.
And when it comes to employee discipline, Lewis also advises municipal councils to follow a predetermined set of policies and procedures to ensure employees who may not be meeting expectations are treated with due regard.
Lewis would not comment specifically on the controversy in Wabana, but emphasized that unity, knowledge and transparency are some of the keys to a successful council.
"If you have that divide or conflict, your attention is divided to other things," said Lewis, who is the co-owner of a company called LW Consulting, which provides training and professional development to councillors and municipal employees.
He retired in 2011 as the CAO for Mount Pearl after 23 years with the city.
Employee fired during public meeting
Municipal governance on Bell Island has been overshadowed recently by serious infighting among councillors in Wabana, with accusations of favouritism and wrongdoing, questions about financial management, and outright hostility between the mayor, Gary Gosine, and two other councillors, David Foley and Ben Warford.
Relations reached a new low during a controversial meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 25 when councillors jousted for two-and-a-half-hours in front of some 50-plus citizens, an RCMP officer and two representatives from CBC News.
Emotions boiled over when council voted 4-2 to terminate William Peddle, a part-time tax collector already under suspension, late in the meeting.
Peddle has raised questions publicly about how the town is conducting its business, and refused to turn over a document because he was told he would not be able to attend a meeting at which the information would be discussed.
Peddle was not at the council meeting when the vote took place to terminate his employment, but learned about it soon after through social media. He later stormed into the meeting, shouting insults at some members of the council.
He was escorted from the room, but the tension continued during and after the meeting, further widening an already deep divide in the community.
Employee should be given notice
The decision to fire Peddle in such a public way, and without any prior notice, has raised questions.
Lewis confirmed this, but also noted that council has the authority to dismiss employees.
"That's the nature of the place of employment in the public sector," said Lewis.
Lewis recommends that progressive steps be taken before termination, including discussions with the employee to give notice of their deficiencies and expectations.
The employee should be advised at every step "so there are no surprises," said Lewis.
"Hopefully, the employee in question would be given due notice and an opportunity to respond so that procedural fairness is carried out."
Peddle said he was blindsided by his termination, and alleges he was fired because he was asking too many questions and refused to bend on his commitment to fairness.
He said he has proof of wrongdoing in the town, and said he plans to talk with a lawyer before deciding on his next steps.
Gosine, meanwhile, would not discuss Peddle's termination when reached Thursday, but stated following the meeting last week that "it wasn't a hard thing to do. It had to be done."
Deputy Mayor Carol Brown, who brought forward the motion to terminate, stated during the debate that "we do have documentation" when asked why the town was severing its ties with Peddle.
Clashes are sometimes inevitable
Meanwhile, Lewis is convinced that more training for councillors is the answer.
Formal orientation and training is provided to politicians at the provincial and federal level, but similar training is optional for municipal leaders.
Oftentimes, Lewis said, the people who need training the most do not avail of it, and that could be toxic for some municipalities.
He said it's not uncommon to have deep divisions and animosity on a town council, and many disputes only come to light once they get the attention of the media.
When you get seven members of a council sitting around a table, and mix in factors such as inexperience, diverse agendas and contrasting personalities, clashes are sometimes inevitable.
Councillors need to understand their roles and responsibilities, focus on a handful of achievable goals, and stay united in order to best serve the towns they represent, Lewis stated.
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