Influential admin?

Newly elected Coun. Ken Boshcoff doesn’t think the city’s planning manager has any place making recommendations of who she thinks would be the best fit for council to appoint to the committee of adjustment.

Boshcoff on Monday expressed concern that Leslie McEachern, in a confidential memo to councillors and the city clerk dated Dec. 1, endorsed Andreas Peterson, Marvin McNabb, Murray Whybourne, Frank Wilson and former Coun. Ed Metzler for council’s consideration at Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

A total of 10 names have been submitted for consideration for the five positions on the committee, which deals with minor variances to zoning bylaws and easements, leases in excess of 21 years and consent to create lots on existing road frontage.

Calling it a “strange” memo, the former two-term mayor said he’s never seen anything like it in his time as a municipal politician.

“This is essentially the same as asking the Ministry of Natural Resources (staffers) who they want to be the cabinet minister,” Boshcoff said. “It is the job of council to look at the names and select the choices. For someone to lobby in the public service is very unusual and I don’t think is proper.”

McEarchern’s letter pointed out the experience of four of the candidates – Peterson, McNabb, Whybourne and Metzler – with the committee of adjustment and outlined Wilson’s accomplishments too.

“Mr. Wilson’s career has involved land-use planning, natural resources, environmental health, social issues and urband development,” she writes. “His resume speaks to a full array of leadership, managerial and interpersonal skills, as well as knowledge of municipal land-use programs and responsibilities.”

Boshcoff said he was disenchanted by the letter for a couple of reasons.

“It could either mean that you have administration hand-picking people that they can essentially direct, as opposed to council picking people that they think will direct the public service,” he said.

City clerk John Hannam said it’s not unusual for administration to weigh in.

“The comments from administration aren’t so much who they’d like to see on the committee,” Hannam said. “Our process for appointments to boards and committees invites members of administration and outside boards, to review the applicants and make comments about them.

“Frequently people may put their names in for committees or boards and members of council may not know who the individual is, may not know the work history and so it’s providing additional information to members of council besides what the individual may have provided in their application.”

McEachern’s letter of recommendation wasn’t the only one council received as part of the three-page memo.

In a letter dated Nov. 30, Maria Harding, chairwoman of the Thunder Bay and District Board of Health, endorsed former school-board member and recently defeated at-large councillor candidate Beatrice Metzler’s application for reappointment to the BOH.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Ms. Metzler since her appointment in December 2007 and have found her both professional and a valuable member of the board, continually demonstrating her commitment to healthcare in the city and district of Thunder Bay,” writes Harding, who also serves as Reeve of Shuniah.