After less than six months on the job as director of planning and development for the District of Sechelt, Andre Isakov has tendered his resignation.
“Upon reflecting on my values, vision and priorities, I have decided to return back to the City of Coquitlam,” Isakov told Coast Reporter this week.
“It has been an honour to provide the district guidance to improve development processes. This work will help the district to be prepared to embrace progressive development in a manner that supports the community’s values in the future. It has been a pleasure to work with excellent staff. My last day at the office is this Friday, November 18.”
Isakov’s departure is the latest in a long list of senior managers who have left the district since the current council was elected two years ago.
First to go was chief administrative officer (CAO) Ron Buchhorn who resigned shortly after the new council took office in December 2014.
Interim CAO Bill Beamish took the helm until January 2016 when current CAO Tim Palmer took over. Within six months Palmer announced his resignation, but said he’d stay on until a new CAO was found. The district is still looking for someone to fill Palmer’s position.
Corporate officer (CO) Margi Nicholas was let go in July 2015 and interim CO Gerry van der Wolf was hired. He left almost a year later, in June 2016, when communications officer Connie Jordison was given the position on an interim basis.
Sechelt council has just found a new CO who’s set to start at the end of the month.
Chief financial officer (CFO) Victor Mema left the district in August 2015, at which time Linda Klassen became the acting CFO. She was let go for undisclosed reasons in May 2016 when new CFO Douglas Stewart was hired.
In addition to the high turnover in senior management positions, the District of Sechelt has seen departures in human resources, planning, parks and public works, and bylaw enforcement as well.
“I think Sechelt is a very challenging place to work,” Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne told Coast Reporter this week.
“It’s in serious need of rebuilding and improvement and we all know that. That attracts some people, and other people make decisions that it’s not the kind of environment where they want to work, so it’s very challenging.”
He stressed that “nobody is leaving under pressure or because they’re angry.”
In Isakov’s case, Milne said he was very surprised to hear of his resignation.
“There’s no question it’s a shock and it’s a real setback to our plans on rebuilding the organization,” Milne said.
“Andre was really valued and his potential over the next few years was valued even more than his present work.”
While Milne suspects the problems with staff turnover have to do with the challenges of working in an organization that’s being rebuilt, he said council is also investigating its role.
“Council is, as part of the change management program, undergoing a review and audit of our own practices just to see if we play any role in this, and if we do, of course to take corrective action,” Milne said.
“We’re certainly central to the organization and we see that as well, but at this stage it looks like this is primarily about individual choices and the challenges of a complex workplace.”
