By Pepper Parr
August 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
He can’t seem to stay away from the City.
One of the first things Marianne Meed Ward did once she had the Chain of Office around her neck was to call a meeting of her newly sworn in members of Council and went into a Closed session where Council agreed that the City Manager was to be shown the door – dismissed – fired is the word people like to use.
There was never any word on what it actually cost the city to dismiss James Ridge – but it wasn’t cheap.
The city would have had to buy out the balance of his contract, cover the cost of moving him out of Burlington and probably something for perceived pain and suffering on the part of Ridge.
In the municipal world, at the City Manager level – these things happen – you take your lumps and move on.
Ridge cleared his desk on either Tuesday December 4th or the 5th. He knew it was coming. He had said to one of the security people before the election that “If she wins I am toast”. Since his departure Ridge has tweeted frequently on Burlington events.
A June 28th tweet has a number of people in Burlington very disturbed. One reader of the tweet commented “We knew it all the time”.
Ridge commented on how many people in the city voiced their concern over the possible demise of a very popular commercial location. Commenting the way he did can only be seen as very unprofessional.
The words that galled people were Ridge saying it was “pensionable time!”
That’s more than unprofessional – that’s just plain crass.
It was Marianne at her best. Ridge came close to ruining downtown Burlington
Everything that has been said in these comments match exactly what I feel about Mr. Ridge. Mr. Ridge used his position as City Manager to intimidate many volunteers and volunteer organizations.
Residents seem to forget that Council hires the City Manager. When things started going sideways I asked a council member at the time ” Why did you hire him”. The response was that “we thought he could bring change and stability”.
Well there is a saying “be careful what you wish for”. He certainly brought change and in the downtown where developers reign supreme he was very successful.
Folks, he was a self-righteous POS, and remains so. Why are we all so surprised?
I’ve read extracts from Mr. Ridge’s recently published Magnus Opus. As a former civil servant, I feel somewhat soiled by his extremely bitter and petty ‘tell all”. He had a duty to serve the administration and he failed miserably. Rather than bridge the divide between bureaucracy and Council, which was his primary function, he widened it and became, in his own right, a political figure. Such a failure. We wish him well but have faint hope.
Maybe Mr. Ridge should read the Ode to the Indispensable Man at:
https://www.mick-armitage.staff.shef.ac.uk/poems/poem-im.html
I was reminded of my grandmother many years ago in Yorkshire. I had been pontificating on some topic and she turned to me and said, “You know Phillip, the cemeteries are full of people who thought the world couldn’t get along without them”.
Phillip, that is very true. Where in Yorkshire are you from
Bradford, Yorkshire–actually the suburb called Saltaire.
Editor’s note: A couple of “kippers” doing the cultural identity catch up thing 🙂 🙂
Ah Ha. I’m originally from The South ! A village N W of London. But after I moved here my mom moved to York and my elder brother to Pately Bridge. Yorkshire is a beautiful county.
Saltaire is a lovely town in a beautiful county in England. I’m sure you ask why did I leave?!
David Barker,
Pately Bridge in the Dales is just down the road from Grassington (a lovely town with more pubs than houses) and not far from Skipton. A fantastic part of the world!
I’ve read extracts from Mr. Ridge’s recently published Magnus Opus. As a professional civil servant, I feel somewhat soiled by his extremely bitter and petty ‘tell all”. He had a duty to serve the administration and he failed miserably. Rather than bridge the divide between bureaucracy and Council, which was his primary function, he widened it and became, in his own right, a political figure. Such a failure. We wish him well but have faint hope.
And in our very humble opinion, the current City Manager has much to learn as well. An effective senior bureaucrat does not take a ‘hands-off’, “strategic” approach when what is required is very much direct participation and role by example.
Weren’t we all toast when she got elected? Well at least everyone but downtown.
Ex-army. A revolving door. His way or no way. What a contrast to the current City Manager.