Stouffville fires CAO Rob Adams after 4 years

Reasons for the immediate dismissal were not given

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 17, 2023
Simon Martin

The Stouffville Chief Administrative Office (CAO) position is fast becoming the biggest hot potato in municipal politics. In a shocking move Feb. 15, Stouffville council relieved CAO Rob Adams of his duties, effective immediately.

“On behalf of Council and staff, I would like to thank Rob for his contributions to the municipality over the past four years. We wish Rob continued success in his future endeavours,” Mayor Iain Lovatt said in a press release.

Adams joined the town as CAO in May of 2019 after several years of turmoil at the top job at the town. The CAO position in Whitchurch-Stouffville has been a revolving door ever since Dave Cash left the town unexpectedly in 2013. He was replaced by Andrew McNeely, who was eventually placed on administrative leave and resigned April 21, 2015. McNeely was replaced by Marc Pourvahidi on May 5, 2015.

Pourvahidi lasted a year before taking a leave of absence in April 2016, after a revelation that the town had an exodus of 30 employees from January 2015 to April 2016.

Fire Chief Rob McKenzie served as interim CAO for two weeks until leisure and community services director Rob Raycroft took over the role, which he performed until Roman Martiuk was hired in 2017 as CAO.

Recruitment of a new CAO will begin immediately, according to Lovatt.

An interim replacement will be named in the coming days.

No reasons were given for Adams' dismissal.