Fort St. John terminations have all BC municipalities talking.

The Northwest had its recent tribulations over at Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional District Council, with the termination of one employee there, an issue that still needs to be explained far more clearly by local officials, but when it comes to widespread and controversial terminations, this year, so far the award must surely be heading towards Fort St. John.

It’s unusual for a municipality to fire its entire upper management group, yet that is exactly what has happened in the North east this week. According to the Opinion 250 website, Fort St. John reportedly has fired City Manager, John Locker, City Clerk Carol Susak, and Director of Recreation, Patty Murray. The expected severance package is said to exceed 600,000 dollars.

With that part of the province booming and attracting new residents at a rapid pace, it’s been a challenge to keep up with services for the fast expanding city.

Recent development in the city have had taxes increasing at rather frantic rate, taxes increased by 8% in 2006 and are set to increase by 13% in 2007.

The terminations if as described, should send shivers through public servants across BC, hoping that Fort St. John is not the template as to how a Municipality handles the fallout from explosive growth.

Below is the report from Opinion 250 and there is another link to other story from Fort St. John's Moose FM here.

Senior City Managers Fired In Ft St. John
By 250 News
Thursday, June 14, 2007 09:13 AM

Ft St John Mayor, Jim Eglinski, has not responded to calls to confirm that the City Manager, John Locker, City Clerk Carol Susak, and Director of Recreation, Patty Murray, have all been terminated from the City of Ft St John.

While the information is not yet public, it is known that a severance package of in excess of $600,000 dollars for the firings will be paid to terminate the trio’s contracts.

The former Arena Manager, Jim Rogers, is now the acting head of the City.

The three involved in the firings have also not responded to our phone calls.

Some residents have expressed concern over the direction of the new council: taxes increased by 8% in 2006 and are set to increase by 13% in 2007.

The City of Ft St John had been the envy of other communities in BC of similar size. It had been debt free, other then sewer and water funds, up until the new council was elected.

The new council of Ft St John had run on the platform that they would look into the areas of responsibility of the three now fired.