 Top News - May 7, 2008 |
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| Kirkpatrick was asked to resign — sources |
By Ryan Tumilty
Staff Writer
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Sturgeon County announced the resignation of its long-serving commissioner Larry Kirkpatrick last week, but two independent sources say the commissioner’s departure was anything but voluntary.
The sources, who asked not to be identified, said Kirkpatrick was asked to resign.
The two individuals fall on different sides of the debate about whether it was the right time for the commissioner to leave the county.
The first source said Kirkpatrick had no intention of leaving his job and that Mayor Don Rigney forced him to leave.
"[He] wasn’t going to resign any time soon," he said. "I call it a personal vendetta at the expense of the county."
At last week’s council meeting the councillors spent more than two hours behind closed doors discussing an unspecified labour issue.
When they came out, they narrowly voted 4-3 to proceed as discussed in camera, but did not reveal the nature of those discussions or what the implication of the motion would be.
Both sources confirm the marathon closed-door session was centred on Kirkpatrick.
Rigney as well as councillors Don McGeachy, Karen Shaw and Joe Milligan voted for the motion while Ken McGillis, Jerry Kaup and Mark Oberg voted against it.
The second source said several council members felt Kirkpatrick was not following council’s directions.
They cited the breakdown in negotiations with St. Albert over the proposed water line as one area where Kirkpatrick failed to follow up on instructions.
Rigney was not available for interview after the sources came forward, but said last week that he couldn’t comment on the vote because it was a personnel issue.
He said the county would be heading in a new direction and he wished Kirkpatrick well.
Both sources said Kirkpatrick would receive a severance package worth up to two years’ pay.
Based on Kirkpatrick’s salary last year, as reported in the county’s financial statements, that could cost the county as much as $300,000.
Director of Corporate Services Case Van Herk will step into Kirkpatrick’s job until a new commissioner is hired.
Kirkpatrick had been with the county for 30 years in a variety of roles, including the last 10 as commissioner, serving through four different administrations. |
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