Timing of new NCC job 'not ideal', says Nussbaum

AnOttawa city councillor who's stepping down to overseethe National Capital Commission only three months after being re-elected admits the timing could be better.

The surprise news that Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. TobiNussbaumwill replace outgoing CEOMark Kristmansonwas announced late Thursday.

• Tobi Nussbaum named new CEO of National Capital Commission

Since then,Nussbaum'sbeen criticized for leaving his elected post so early in the term and triggering abyelection.

"There's no question the timing is not ideal,"Nussbaumsaid Friday. "If I could have it a different way, the timing would be different."

'Wasn't thinking about other jobs'

Ageneral call for a new CEO went out last spring, butNussbaumsaid he was focusedon the election at that time.

"I was in the middle of a campaign.I wasn't thinking about other jobs," he said.

The application deadline was supposed to closein July, but it had been extended, suggesting the selection committee was having trouble pickinga candidate.

When itstill open in November,Nussbaumsaid "a number of residents" from his ward encouraged him to put his name in the hat.

Theresidents whomNussbaumwould not name told him his experience both in the public service and as a city councillor "offered a pretty unique skill set," he said.

Nussbaumis a bilingual lawyer with a public administration degree from Harvard University. He was a senior bureaucrat before running as a progressive candidate inRideau-Rockcliffein 2010.

News reports earlier this week that the councillorwas a leading CEOcandidatehastened the NCC's official announcement, according to CBC sources familiar with the confidential hiring process.

Getting up to speed

Although there are several large files awaiting Nussbaumat the NCC, with LeBretonFlatschief among them, Nussbaum said he's going to take the next few weeks to make sure that Rideau-Rockclifferesidents are in good hands at city hall.

The NCC's board of directors isscheduled to decide in late January how to proceed withthe LeBreton Flats redevelopment, which is on the rocks since Senators owner Eugene Melnyk sued his partners in theproject.

• LeBreton Flats project in peril over partners' dispute

But as Nussbaumwill take over as CEO on Feb. 4, it's unclear if the board will charge ahead with a new direction for LeBreton in January or wait until later.

AfterNussbaumofficially resigns, which he plans to donear the end of January, council will need to declare theRideau-Rockcliffeseat vacant. That will likely happen in February.

The Municipal Act actually allows council to appoint someone under these circumstances, but that would be highly unlikely this early in the term.

When former Orlans councillor Herb Krelingresigned in the fall of 2005 he had applied to be a justice of the peace a byelection was held inJanuary 2006, even though a municipal election was scheduled for November.

That 2006 byelection cost $277,000, the equivalent of $340,000 in 2018 dollars. However, the city clerk's office is now estimating it will cost up to $500,000 to hold a byelection for Nussbaum's seat.

The stepscouncil and the clerk's office have to take includeissuing a byelectionbylaw anddeclaring a nomination day. The byelectionhas to be held by the end of July, but it will likelybe earlier.

People are already musing about running, including Peter Heyck, who ran against Nussbaum last fall he garnered less than 20 per cent of the vote and Overbrookcommunity activist RawlsonKing.

In the meantime, council will likely appoint other councillors to help out with planning files and other issues that arise in Rideau-Rockcliffe.