Rookie councillor ruffling feathers in St. Andrews

Joy Sul claims CAO's contract is not valid 

St. Andrews CAO Sue Sutherland had her salary challenged by rookie councillor Joy Sul.

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

The salary of St. Andrews top staffer came into question last Tuesday after a rookie councillor demanded to see proof the municipality’s former council approved the chief administrative officer’s current pay.

Coun. Joy Sul halted an initial motion to have minutes from the March 24 council meeting adopted due to what she called an “invalid” contract.

“I just have one concern,” said Sul before raising her concern.

Sul demanded the minutes in question be amended to state chief administrative officer Sue Sutherland’s contract is not valid.

Sutherland, frustrated, and perplexed, asked Sul “If it’s signed why is it invalid?”

Sul said because there is no date on the contract it is not valid.

“You currently do not have a contract so it’s not valid,” she said.

A war of words between Sul and Sutherland followed after the amendment request was made.

Sul insistent the words “not valid” appear in the minutes, which were eventually amended and carried.

Sul went on to ask Sutherland for the date of the contract, as there are now believed to be four contracts between Sutherland and the RM.

“There’s different contracts for different parts of my job,” Sutherland said.

Sutherland told council she does have a valid contract, which is signed. “You guys just haven’t seen it yet,” she said.

“It’s a recent one 2012 or whatever.”

Sul’s request to see the salary contracts relating to Sutherland stems from council meetings earlier this year. “This has already been over two months,” Sul said.

Sutherland told Sul she’s been working diligently to find the contracts, and said it’s taken a great effort, because she’s had to dig into records almost 10 years old.

“I’ve been doing this at home it takes me over 40 hours. It takes me one whole evening to go through each year,” Sutherland said.

Sul told Sutherland she does not need to go back several years, and could start in 2010, the year she believes the last valid contract was signed.

But Sutherland said she does need to dig deep, “That’s what you requested,” she said.

Sul denied Sutherland’s claim, “No I did not. I have it in writing,” she said.

Sul was making the info request as chair of the governance committee. She also asked Sutherland to produce council resolutions showing how she’s arrived at her current salary, which was not disclosed at the meeting.

St. Andrews Mayor George Pike urged Sutherland to find the document in question. 

“We need the report as soon as possible,” Pike said.

Sutherland agreed to provide council with a copy of the report by May 1.

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition April 23 2015 p.3