Prince George, B.C., city manager leaves job following increased scrutiny over cost overruns, pay

Prince George's city manager is leaving her jobfollowing increased scrutiny of cost overruns and benefits packages for senior employees at city hall.

In a release late Friday, the city said council and Kathleen Soltis had reached a "mutual agreement" to end her employment contract.

Soltis hadbeen with the city for 34 yearsand was city manager since 2015.

In recent months there had been increased scrutiny of Soltisfollowing the revelation that budgetary overruns on four construction projects had cost the city $13.4M since 2017.

There have also been continued questions about benefits packages for Soltis and other senior managers at city hall since the Prince George Citizen newspaper filed a Freedom of Information request revealing she and eight other exempt staff received up to$235.72 an hourfor working overtime during the 2017 wildfire season, when the city took in more than 10,000 evacuees from neighbouring communities.

More recently, Prince George Citizen editor Neil Godboutwrote about Soltis' latest pay increases and called for council to hold her and other senior manager's "truly accountable for repeated errors costing taxpayers millions of dollars."

Following that editorial, first-term Coun.Kyle Sampson proposed an"objective look" at the city's compensation policies for non-union staff, particularly on the issue of overtime. The resolution was passed at council's most recent meeting.

All of this came about as the city is struggling with budget shortfalls due to COVID-19.

However, Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall deniesSoltis' departure is connected to these issues.

"I'll go back to what we said that this was a mutually agreed on decision," he said. "Not COVID or benefit-related or anything like that.... Ms. Soltis has done great work in this community."

Hall said he didn't expect the city to seek a replacement for Soltis until 2021. In the meantime,administrative services manager Walter Babiczhas been named acting city manger with planning and development manager Ian Wells as his deputy.

Subscribe toDaybreak NorthonCBC Listenor yourfavourite podcast app, and connect with CBC Northern British Columbia onFacebook,TwitterandInstagram.