The Rossland News would like to offer clarification as to what happened with Rossland’s previous Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Tracey Butler. After the election in November, Mayor Kathy Moore and council committed to dealing with a number of residual issues and complicated contracts approved by the previous council. One such contract that was unaffordable in their eyes, was that of Deputy CAO Tracey Butler. It was council’s intent that she be given notice that her contract would be renegotiated in 24 months. Butler had the option to continue to work under the terms of her existing contracts for two years; then council would be free to renegotiate better a contract for the benefit of the community.
Whether Butler had worked until the end of her term, or was terminated had no impact on the severance payout amount. The city would have to pay the amount — nearing $200,000 — regardless of the outcome. Butler chose to leave the city’s employment. Her contract stated at the end of the term, it could be renewed or the severance clause would be activated. “If we waited until the term expired we would have waited two years and then owed 24 months salary plus benefits. Thus, the only way to change the terms of the contract was to give 24 months working notice,” Moore explained.
Butler has since moved on and the city of Rossland has done the same, hiring Mike Maturo on as the Interim CAO. Maturo and his contract will be saving the taxpayers of Rossland a significant amount of money as of now and continuing on into the future.