2 Vaughan senior staffers depart

YorkRegion.com
Feb. 21, 2015
Adam Martin-Robbins

Two high-ranking bureaucrats abruptly parted ways with the city this week.
 
In an email sent to staff on Thursday, Interim City Manager Barbara Cribbett announced the immediate resignation of city solicitor Mary Lee Farrugia and the commissioner of strategic and corporate services, Joe Pittari.

When reached by phone, both Farrugia and Pittari declined to comment.

Interim City Manager Barb Cribbett has yet to respond to requests for comment, but reportedly told the media that “both positions will be filled on an interim basis and projects will proceed as planned.”

The departure of the two senior staffers comes just more than a week after it was announced Cribbett is retiring and a new city manager, Steve Kanellakos deputy city manager at the City of Ottawa, will take the helm in May.

Their resignations of are the latest in a string of senior staff departures in the last three years.

About a year ago, the commissioner of community services and buildings manager abruptly resigned.

Six months before that, 15 staff were let go the city’s auditor among them.

In April 2013, Clayton Harris suddenly stepped down from his post as city manager, after more than two decades of working with the municipality in senior roles.

In July 2012, 11 staff were let go, including the city solicitor, director of communications, director of bylaw enforcement and the human resources director.

Unlike the previous staff departures, Pittari and Farrugia were brought in by the new administration with a mandate to help usher in change and clean up the city’s image, tarnished by a number of scandals under the old regime.

Both Pittari and Farrugia were hired in the last few years, under the leadership of current mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua.

The mayor did not respond to requests for comment.

Pittari was hired in July 2012, with a job to “develop, organize, implement and manage a collaborative and service-focused commission.

His work included developing and leading various departments such as: strategic planning, human resources, information and technology management, environmental sustainability and the new innovation and continuous improvement department.

Farrugia joined the municipality more recently, in February 2013, as city solicitor after stints with the OntarioRealty Corporation, and the Attorney General’s office.

Her role was to “serve as senior legal advisor to city council and the corporation, and oversee the legal services, real estate, clerk’s, and enforcement services departments” at the city.