Last night, Elliot Lake City Council held a special meeting and went into closed session for two hours and four minutes. There was just one item on the agenda: discussion - personnel matter. No s on matter.
A memo from Interim CAO Rob deBortoli included in the upcoming Monday council meeting agenda package, requests $39k for another executive search for a CAO. The memo is here.
It recommends adding $39,300 plus applicable taxes for that search to the currently ongoing, $65k search for two positions: a Director of Finance/Treasurer and a Director of Public Works. The search was initiated last October.
The Director of Finance/Treasurer left the city last July. The Director of Public Works position has been vacant for a number of years.
CAO search
During the first half of 2023 council engaged a different executive recruitment firm to locate a CAO candidate. While the recruiter spoke glowingly of the candidates contacting him, the search did not result in a permanent, full-time CAO hiring.
On the last business day of 2023, council held a special meeting. When the then six-member council emerged from the closed session, then Acting Mayor Andrew Wannan, informed the public, “I’m very happy to announce on behalf of council that we have appointed Mr. Rob deBortoli as our Interim CAO.”
deBortoli’s role, whether permanent or interim, became unclear during his so far, one-year tenure.
Agendas, meeting minutes, and his memos to council began with a consistent use of the interim title as motioned on December 29, 2023.
During the spring, council agendas dropped the “interim.” According to Elliot Lake’s procedural by-law, the CAO is responsible for the council agenda.
During the same period, meeting minutes continued to use the motioned title, “Interim CAO.” Meeting minutes are the purview of the clerk.
After ElliotLakeToday noticed that the meeting minutes had also dropped the term, we attempted to clarify this key role during a Public Input Session at the next council meeting. The question was rejected by Mayor Wannan. That exchange is in the City’s video archive here.
ElliotLakeToday has reached out to council for comment but no reply was received by the time of publication.
On Monday, council will consider Interim CAO deBortoli’s request for funds to initiate a CAO search.