|
Newsletter
|
Donate
Sudbury mayor, administrators failing to lead
Posted: January 5, 2021
(January 5, 2021)
By:
Dear Mayor Brian Bigger: I am not going to argue with you on the appropriateness of the discipline measures you applied to Ed Archer, chief administrative officer for the City of Greater Sudbury, when he made derogatory remarks about Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier.
I just want to remind you that such remarks uttered by Ed Archer are words of malice, of disrespect and an act of violence. The City of Greater Sudbury has a policy of zero tolerance for violence and/or harassment. This policy was passed by previous city councils and endorsed by current city councillors The disciplinary measures you have used with Ed Archer has demonstrated that you and the city do not respect the municipality’s policy on violence and harassment, and are willing to downplay what Ed Archer has done to this city and to the people of Sudbury.
Sudbury needs a mayor who has the courage to lead this city with a righteous heart (the courage to do the right thing for the right reason). You have been silent about Tony Ceccuti’s inability to correct Ed Archer.
(Note: Mayor Bigger did suspend Archer for one day).
Ed Archer directed his remarks to Tony Cecutti (the city’s general manager of growth and infrastructure) and behind Gerry Montpellier’s back. Tony supported Ed Archer’ frustration. He did not correct Ed Archer.
Both Ed and Tony were hired for their professionalism. They have demonstrated that they do not have the professionalism needed in their jobs with the city at this time and as we go forward as a city in 2021 Tiredness/fatigue is not an excuse for being violent to others. The City of Greater Sudbury administers Pioneer Manor, a municipally owned long-term care facility with more than 400 medically vulnerable residents living there.
Front line workers (RPNs, PSWs, auxiliary workers) are expected to work double shifts and short changes because the facility is in a crisis with a shortage of qualified staff. They cannot go on holidays if the facility is short staffed. Holidays and days off can be cancelled with little notice. This has been a known long-term problem that was documented with a study done in 2019 and made public by the Ontario Health Coalition before this pandemic.
Before the pandemic, the Sudbury chapter of the health coalition held a press conference here in Sudbury and invited the public, city staff and administrators. I personally delivered you a full copy of the report. City administration never acknowledged the report or the problem, despite this report being endorsed by local family and resident councils, citizens, front line workers and their unions. Administration always had excuses for inaction.
I am asking that you sit down with Ed Archer and with Tony Cecutti and ask them to do the right thing for the citizens of Greater Sudbury. The people of Sudbury expect their leaders to have a higher standard than demonstrated by Ed Archer and Tony Cecutti. This will be a hard conversation, but a necessary conversation, if the city hopes to move forward in 2021. We need leaders with courage. We need leaders that will lead this city forward. We need leaders who are willing to put in the time and energy needed to move this city forward. We need action and we need it now. No more excuses. No more whining. No more blaming.
We need everyone to stand up straight and to pull his or her full weight forward. You, as the mayor, need to carry the weight of your office. We need a CAO and city administrators willing and able to pull their full weight with the professional standards expected by the citizens of Sudbury.
The citizens of Sudbury will rally behind those with the courage and the fortitude to pull forward with an honest effort and good will. Dot Klein is a registered nurse, co-chair of the OHC Sudbury chapter, a resident of Ward 11 and a concerned citizen.
