It seems some things never change. With our latest version of the District of Sooke council, some of the same allegiances are in play and council still thinks they have to manage staff. Council’s duty is to dictate policy not carry out day-to-day managing of the staff and overseeing what they are doing. That’s the job of the Chief Administrative Officer. He is the person who reports to council and who council should speak to about agenda items and issues before council.
Sooke is again without some of its senior staff. There is no head planner and it appears there is another vacancy in that department and others as well. What makes council think they can do the job of the professionals whom they hired? With the constant peering over the shoulders of those who work there, it’s no wonder the professionals are jumping ship. Sooke has a less than full-time CAO and this is not the best situation when there are so many projects on the go. Sooke can’t afford to lose any more of its hired professionals. If this continues, Sooke will gain the reputation of being a place that is not a good one to work in. No one will want to work with a council that thinks they are the professionals and know it all. Council should not micro-manage, it’s not council’s job. Ask anyone of them sitting around the council table if they would appreciate someone constantly questioning what they are doing. Let them do the jobs they are hired to do.
As to allegiances within council, some are obvious, others not so much. Each of the elected councillors needs to make informed decisions, not just follow along. Each councillor represents a segment of the Sooke population, they should consult with their constituents if they have questions. That is why we have six councillors, each is then able to bring a different viewpoint to the table.