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Heads roll at city hall as two managers fired over massive sewage spill in 2006
Two city managers have been fired and one supervisor has been suspended without pay in connection with the August 2006 sewage spill that dumped a billion litres of raw sewage into the Ottawa River.
A manager and program manager from the city’s wastewater branch were fired yesterday afternoon.
A director was reprimanded and a section manager was given a 20-day suspension without pay.
David McCartney, manager of wastewater and drainage services, and Barry King, a program manager with wastewater collection, were fired. Luc Dugal, a section manager with the department’s sewer maintenance branch, was given the suspension.
The two fired managers are the latest casualties in the city’s ongoing sewage debacle.
FIRED LAST MAY
City supervisor Jean-Pierre Boisseau was fired last May after he admitted to lying to senior staff about informing Ontario’s environment ministry of the spill.
The city blames an antiquated sewer regulator, which didn’t close properly, for the overflow. However, the law requires the city to immediately inform the ministry if such an incident occurs.
City manager Kent Kirkpatrick said he couldn’t speak specifically about city employees, but said based on his own investigation and findings, which were sent to the city’s auditor general, “further discipline has been applied.”
Since the spill came to light, the city has changed its communication protocols when there is a sewage spill or overflow into the waterway.
Mayor Larry O’Brien was quick to praise Kirkpatrick after city council was briefed during a closed meeting late yesterday afternoon.
“The city manager did the right thing today,” O’Brien said. “He made sure there was a sense of accountability. That’s what I expect a good city manager to do. I’m comfortable he’s taken the right step.”
Innes Coun. Rainer Bloess said council has taken the 2006 spill seriously since being told about it.
PROBLEM NOT SOLVED
“We’ve asked for a complete investigation and wanted appropriate action taken,” he said. “Whatever action the city manager applies is the suitable response.”
However, Ottawa’s sewer problems aren’t solved. The city will make its first appearance in court this afternoon to answer charges from the ministry.
The city could face up to $72 million in fines after the ministry’s investigations and enforcement branch laid two charges in connection with the spill under the Ontario Water Resources Act.
The city faces one count of causing or permitting the discharge of material, namely sewage, into the Ottawa River that may impair the quality of water.
The city is also charged with one count of failing to notify the ministry of the discharge.