Orillia council fires city manager Ian Brown

By SARA ROSS The Packet & Times March 4 2011

Orillia’s long-time city manager has been fired.

“I’m somewhat in shock right now,” Ian Brown said on Thursday afternoon after being let go. “It’s a little difficult for me to talk about it right now.”

Mayor Angelo Orsi says the decision was made by a council vote.

“It’s not my decision. It is a council decision.”

The mayor was unclear on whether council’s decision was unanimous.

Orsi would not give a reason for Brown’s dismissal.

On Jan. 25, Mayor Angelo Orsi accused the city’s most senior staffer of showing disrespect for council in his departmental briefing.

Brown identified as a threat the “absence of published goals for council’s priorities for this term.”

Orsi said, “I would expect that if there was any concerns at all from senior staff that you would convey those expressions (to the mayor). “I think that was a slight against your council.”

During the October municipal election, Orsi said his plan for the multi-use recreation facility (MURF) includes removing the current consultants and reassigning staff who have worked on the file.

As city manager, Brown was a lead official on the MURF project, which has been one of the city’s most controversial capital projects.

Orsi’s said his plan is to “put the project on hold.”

With the project on hold, “there’s no more that they can add,” Orsi said of the consultants.

Orsi would not confirm on Thursday whether there was tension between him and Brown.

“This is nothing about me, nothing about Ian. It’s just about the wish of council.”

Though Orsi wouldn’t confirm that the city manager was fired, Brown confirmed “I did not quit.”

“His employment is concluded as of today,” Orsi said, adding it is a “personnel matter.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t get into the details or anything from it because we are still in termination mode.”

Prior to coming to Orillia, Brown worked for the Toronto Harbour Commission. He was hired by Mayor Clayt French and the council of that time.

Asked how much it would cost to settle with Brown, Orsi said, “I can’t answer that question. I can’t even speak to it.”

According to the 2010 annual Sunshine List, Brown’s salary was $152,709.99. He has worked as city manager of Orillia for 18 years.

None of the councillors reached would comment on the firing. Coun. Don Jenkins explained why.

“I got a little memo from Angelo saying none of the council can comment to you.”

Asked if he would follow through with that request, Jenkins answered, “Well, I have no choice.”

Reacting to the decision, former mayor Ron Stevens says the city “will suffer” because of this decision.

“As the city manager, Ian carried a lot of responsibility and did it well. Ian contributed an awful lot to the City of Orillia.”

The decision has “disturbed” Stevens, but didn’t surprise him.

“I think that was coming for a while. (Council seems) to feel that they know what’s best for the city notwithstanding the fact that the city has survived for many years and accomplished a lot of things.”

In his experience, Stevens says Brown put his positions on the table “very clearly” and suggested to council the most appropriate direction to go. When a decision was made, Brown would follow policies “to the nth degree.”

“If (council doesn’t) want that, then that’s their business, but he has certainly given his advice in the most appropriate way.”

City council’s decision to overhaul the budget process — which it is currently in the midst of — is significant, Stevens noted.

Brown would not have been able to “accomplish much” when council “took the budget away,” Stevens said.

“That was totally wrong. I feel very, very bad for Ian.”

Though The Packet has not been able to determine if council’s decision to fire Brown was unanimous, Stevens says he would be surprised if it was.

“I would be shocked, as a matter of fact.”

Brown’s departure was announced via email Thursday afternoon. Six minutes after the initial media release, a second release was sent naming John Craig as interim city manager.

He comes with “over 35 years experience in municipal administration,” Orsi said in the release.

Craig is an ex-city clerk and retired commissioner of corporate services in Barrie.

Craig will also be in charge of finding the new city manager, Orsi said.

“He will be charged to recruit a new city manager. Hopefully within 90 days. That’s kind of the target we are setting.”

Orsi would not say how much Craig will be paid as interim city manager.

“You know what? I’m not going to answer these questions right now, OK?”

This is not the first time Craig has worked for the City of Orillia. In December 2007, John Craig Consulting was appointed to provide closed-meeting investigator services in Orillia.

For that task, Craig’s pay was a $300 retainer and $1,000 per day plus expenses.

Craig investigated a June 8, 2009 city council meeting, which included an in-camera session where the performance review of city manager Brown was discussed. For a portion of the meeting, a clerk or clerk-designate was not in attendance to take minutes.

Though the long-time city manager is no longer employed, Orsi says city staff will be capable of getting through.

“We have a good, awesome staff to work with that we think that we can overcome this little hurdle. Aside from the transition from a new council we will have a new city manager and hopefully will bring an exciting new future for the city.”

The Packet & Times will be following up with Brown at a later date.