By Mark Squibb/March 10, 2023
Senior officials from the Department of Municipal met with members of Witless Bay council on Monday following the departure of two senior staff members this week which has drastically affected the Town’s ability to conduct day to day business on behalf of its residents.
In a strange twist, however, Mayor Trevor Croft said there was no such meeting with provincial officials, though its occurrence was confirmed for the Irish Loop Post by staff at Municipal Affairs.
The departure of Acting Town Manager Geraldine Caul and Assistant Town Clerk Katherine Doyle leaves just Financial and Administrative Assistant Cassie O'Rielly as the Town’s lone office employee.
The Town announced through its Facebook page the office would be closed on Tuesday, February 28, due to “unforeseen circumstances,” and then again on Friday, March 3. The Town office is also closed to the public on Wednesdays, a policy council enacted sometime back to help office staff, then numbering four, to catch up on their workload, meaning the office was only open for two days last week.
Mayor Trevor Croft wouldn’t agree to an interview regarding the staffing situation and the impact on the public, but did send a statement to the Irish Loop Post.
“The Town of Witless Bay are committed to providing a positive and supportive environment for employees by providing a competitive salary and benefits program in a union environment, as well as training opportunities, flexible work hours and work from home opportunities when possible, considering the service needs of residents as well as accommodating for the family responsibility of employees,” read the statement. “In response to staff concerns about increased demands in an ever-growing town, council voted to close the office to the public every Wednesday to allow staff to get caught up on administrative tasks. The acting town clerk position recently resolved as expected, and our long-term town clerk who came back last August as acting town manager, ended her position after a long career with the Town of Witless Bay. We express our appreciation for her service to the town and wish her the best on the next chapter.”
The statement concluded with, “It’s true to say it’s a time of transition, but we are looking forward to moving forward with qualified professionals who will help us move the Town of Witless Bay forward in a positive manner.”
Croft said the above statement was the only comment he could make. When first asked last Saturday if a meeting between council and Municipal Affairs had been scheduled, he said it hadn’t been set in stone.
When asked again Tuesday morning, after the meeting between Municipal Affairs and council had already occurred, if the meeting pertained to councillor code of conduct training which the department is holding with councils around the province, Croft said the training has not yet been scheduled, and he was not aware of any other meeting with Department officials.
The Department, however, told a different story.
Emily-Jane Gillingham, who handles media relations for Municipal Affairs, confirmed that a meeting did take pace between council and the Department.
“We can confirm that a meeting was scheduled for and took place on Monday, March 6,” read an e-mail from Jane Gillingham. “The meeting was an opportunity for council to have a discussion and ask questions and for the department to provide support to council. Meetings of this nature are consistent in how the department proactively provides assistance to municipalities across the province.”
Further inquires as to who was in attendance at the meeting went unacknowledged by the Department.
The Irish Loop Post reached out to the other six members of council, via e-mail, to ask if they were available to discuss staffing concerns.
Councillors Alex Troake and Jacob Hayden both responded, but only to say they would not discuss the matter.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss this as all media requests are to be directed to Mayor Croft,” read Hayden’s email.
“Mayor Trevor Croft is the official spokesperson for the Town, and it would certainly be inappropriate for individual Councillors to comment on HR matters,” read Troake’ s email.
Neither of the other four members of council responded to the inquiry.
The Shoreline office has been receiving calls from people complaining about business being delayed or undone because of the situation at the Town Hall.
The departure of Caul and Doyle is the just the latest episode in a long series of hirings, firings and resignations at the Town Hall over the past several years. The last time the Town Hall and council in Witless Bay was this dysfunctional was in the 1990s when then Municipal Affairs Minister Art Reid was forced to disband the council and appoint an administrator in order for residents and others to conduct day to day business with their municipality. Without a Town Clerk, or acting Town Clerk, council cannot even hold a proper meeting where minutes are recorded for the public record.
The Irish Loop Post has requested an interview with Municipal Affairs Minister Krysta Lynn Howell.
