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City bylaws manager cut in restructuring

City chief operating officer Brad McRae to take on bylaw enforcement
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Senior manager loses job in City of Nanaimo restructuring. FILE PHOTO

A senior manager’s job is the casualty of a City of Nanaimo restructuring.

Rod Davidson, who worked with the city for nearly five years as its parking manager and then as manager of bylaw, regulation and security, has had his position cut. His last day was Thursday.

“We are just right now realigning a bit of our structure and unfortunately as a result of that, Rod’s position was no longer needed, so it was not at all a reflection on Rod or his contributions or anything,” said city human resources director John Van Horne.

The position was the only one cut in the restructuring. Under the realignment, Brad McRae, chief operating officer, who has been overseeing engineering and public works will now focus on the public safety business unit, which covers police, fire, emergency management and bylaw enforcement.

Van Horne said the motivation of the restructuring is to try to identify what significant projects there are on the horizon and then to adjust to make sure there are the right skills in the right place to handle them.

“There’s this sort of ongoing analysis of what’s coming and what are we going to need, trying to have an element of foresight to identify situations that are coming down the pike at us and respond to them,” he said.

The City of Nanaimo has had numerous changes with non-unionized staff since 2015. In the 17 months prior to May 2016, 15 non-unionized employees, management included, left the municipal workforce. Six were through resignation and nine retired. There have been 13 non-unionized staff who have left since July 2016, including 11 managers, and six retirements. Last year there was also a reorganization at city hall, which included new positions.

Van Horne said he doesn’t know what normal rate of turnover would be at this or any municipality. Within other organizations and local government in general it’s a fluid workforce, he said.

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