City. Coun. Sushil Thapar has refused to sign a confidentiality agreement regarding the departure of city manager John Stecyk.
“I’ve never been asked to do that before,” Thapar said, adding it was Mayor Mary Sjostrom who asked him to sign the legal document, vowing to remain mum on “anything Stecyk.”
The city released a short press release Tuesday afternoon outlining the outgoing city manager’s departure:
“Quesnel City Council has announced that it has accepted the resignation of City Manager John Stecyk, effective immediately. Stecyk, who is resigning for personal reasons, came to the City in January 2011.
The City of Quesnel wishes Mr. Stecyk well in his future endeavours.
The City will now begin the process of recruiting a new City Manager, which is expected to take several months to complete. The City will provide updates to the community when appropriate.
In the interim, Council has appointed two senior managers to oversee the City’s operations and assist Council in the transition period. Those two are Director of Finance Kari Bolton and the Director of Public Works and Engineering, Ken Coombs.”
Shortly after the release Thapar said he was reminded via e-mail of the confidentiality agreement.
“Just a reminder that you are all bound by your oath, the community charter, and the confidentiality agreement to not say anything beyond what was written in the press release regarding John’s departure,” the e-mail reads.
“We have already been advised by our lawyer that John’s lawyer is reminding us of our obligation to keep the details of John’s departure confidential.”
Thapar replied with a request under the Freedom of Information Act for all financial implications on the departure of Stecyk.
“Is he getting severance?” asked Thapar.
“If there are financial implications, the public should know.”
Thapar also pointed to the city-issued press release, calling it “misleading and false.”
“If Stecyk’s resigning it means no severance,” he said, adding that’s why he filed the FOI request.
For her part, Mayor Mary Sjostrom said she stands by the city’s press release.
“Mr. Stecyk resigned and we (council) accepted that,” she said.
But Thapar maintains the release is “misleading” and questions the mayor’s transparency.
“The mayor should just come clean,” he said.
“When this (Stecyk’s departure) is all said and done, we are looking at a much bill larger bill than anyone imagined. No wonder we’re broke.”
Thapar filled his FOI request Wednesday around 4 p.m. Check future Observer’s for follow-up.
“This is the tip of the ice-burg,” he said.
“Sjostrom needs to let the public know she created a monster and deal with it.”
