Big changes in the management team at city hall. City manager takes on bigger work load while Mike Spicer gets to run the transit system.

By Pepper Parr

BURLINGTON, ON  December 5, 2012  The city has made changes to its management structure that will result in the city leading with two general managers instead of three.

The management changes are effective immediately.  Council has gone along with City Manager Fielding’s  decision to work with a leaner structure until 2015.

Fielding will take on a much bigger job and have legal, information technology services, human resources and finance report directly to him.

At first blush it isn’t clear why Fielding is going to handle these departments which in the past reported to General Manager Kim Phillips.

Finance is in good shape but there are going to be some challenges in finding the money that will be needed to keep the tax rates at an acceptable level.  The 2.5% increase the Mayor has staked his reputation on may not hold for 2013.

The commitment to egov – a techie name for making information available via the city’s web site and getting the public to interact with city hall electronically as much as possible is a large part of the city’s plans to improve service to the public.

Kim Phillips gets to pull a different rope as she transitions into a different form of General Manager. She will handle Community Services effective immediately.

Phillips will head up Community Services division; a significant departure for her and the skill set she brings to city hall.  Don’t think we have seen the last change for Phillips.

Scott Stewart, one of the city’s two General Managers, poses with an award he was given for leadership at the inter-municipal level.

Scott Stewart, who brings a very distinct personality and style to his work, will continue with what he has been doing since he arrived in Burlington from Hamilton; all he gets is a different name for the section of the city he runs:  it will now be known as the development and infrastructure division.

“Working with City Council, senior staff made a business decision to operate on an interim basis (through to 2015)  with two general managers instead of three,” said City Manager Jeff Fielding. “The city will continue to offer a high level of customer service to the community.”  Did Fielding mean to say he hopes to be able to offer the same level of service?

The city also announced that Mike Spicer, acting director of Burlington Transit since August 2012, is now the new director of Burlington Transit.

Then interim director of transit – now the newly minted Director of Transit for the city of Burlington, Mike Spicer walks during the Santa Claus parade.  Spicer replaces Donna Sheppard who retired as Director last August.

Spicer began in Burlington Transit in 2008 as transit manager. He came to the City of Burlington from his role as transit operations manager for nine years with Brantford Transit.

“Burlington Transit is focused on providing sustainable transportation options for the people of Burlington” said Stewart, who oversees Burlington Transit. “Transit is an important service, one that I know Mike will continue to lead efficiently and effectively.”

Burlington is a fiscally responsible city of more than 170,000 people, with natural features that include Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment.  In 2012, MoneySense magazine named Burlington the second best city in which to live in Canada.

Why do these bureaucrats still haul out that canard about our being the second best city in which to live?  Guess it’s better than saying we have the most expensive pier the country has ever seen.  That wouldn’t go with “fiscally responsible would it?


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