THUNDER BAY – One of the City of Thunder Bay’s top staffers made a dramatic exit from her role on Monday, suggesting city council's disrespect for her work was behind her departure.
Tracie Smith, the city’s director of strategic initiatives and engagement, announced she would leave the position at a city council meeting on Monday after making brief comments in which she objected to her treatment by council the week before.
The announcement appeared to catch councillors by surprise.
Smith has overseen the municipal government’s communications and public relations work since 2021, with a portfolio that also encompassed the city’s Indigenous relations office and projects like the bi-annual citizen satisfaction survey.
Her director position had made her one of the city's most senior staff.
Smith’s work on the city’s new strategic plan appeared to be one cause of tensions.
Last week, several councillors had criticized the plan in relatively harsh terms over its lack of focus on economic development and housing. Some, like Mayor Ken Boshcoff, questioned whether the plan accurately reflected the priorities of council, or those of staff.
In comments Monday, Smith suggested council’s criticism in public had come without warning after approval in earlier private meetings.
“As part of the process taken to develop the strategic plan, council… chose to remove goals related to the economic development mandate of the CEDC, and you chose and endorsed goals that focused on addressing the root causes of barriers to growth,” she said.
“I encouraged this, and as a public servant, I followed your direction. Despite that, last week, some members of council were quite critical of the plan.
“Council certainly has the right to change its collective mind… I respect that right. I do not respect or accept the insinuation the plan was prepared without council’s involvement or guidance. I will not tolerate disparaging and disrespectful comments towards me from members of council, particularly when those comments were inaccurate.”
Smith went on to announce she would step down from her position and tender her resignation, thanking city staff before walking out of council chambers.
Members of council did not address Smith’s departure in the remaining minutes of the meeting.
Smith previously served as senior director of communications and engagement at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She began her role with the city in September of 2021.
