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Intergovernmental guy gone at Vancouver

May 14th, 2010 · 10 Comments

This memo concerning Robin Adair went out yesterday at city hall, which didn’t come as much of a surprise to me. I’d heard a rumbling a couple of weeks ago that things were not going well in the last while. They’d started out rosy but something happened in the last while.

Although I know Vision Fatwa types will be tempted to blame it on domineering Penny Ballem and/or domineering Vision office staff and/or a political gap too big to jump, I’d heard that there was friction over many other issues with Robin throughout city hall. I didn’t have any dealings with him personally so I’m not in a position to comment on anything directly, but I hear from those without a political axe to grind that it was, as they say, a “bad fit” and that his personal style just wasn’t meshing with people all over the hall.

MEMORANDUM      May 14, 2010
TO:     Mayor and Council
Corporate Management Team
Corporate Communications
External Relations and Protocol
              
CC:     Marg Coulson, City Clerk      
              
FROM:   Penny Ballem
City Manager  
              
SUBJECT:        Robin Adair, GM Intergovernmental Affairs & Strategic Partnerships    
              

I am writing to let you know that after a year of great work for the City of Vancouver, Robin Adair will be leaving to return to his consultancy practice in Victoria.
Robin joined us on short notice last summer, immediately taking on a number of key files including Communications, Protocol, and Strategic Government Partnerships – some of the many important responsibilities the City was handling in relation to the Olympic Games. Robin has been a great asset and I want to express my sincere appreciation for his willingness to take up a challenge on short notice and contribute so significantly over this last year.
Robin has agreed to provide us with about 4 days a month of his consulting help to carry a couple of key files to support the transition for the next few months, including our important work with our First Nations partners and local Business Improvement Associations.
Robin we will miss you and wish you all the best.

Penny Ballem, MSc MD FRCP
City Manager

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