In the latest Village update, it was announced that Dave Butler, who is in his late 70s, has
been reappointed as the Building Inspector for the Village of Lions Bay. This comes after his abrupt departure from the municipality earlier this year, marked by insubordination and disdain.
In any other context, outside the nepotism seemingly condoned by certain councillors in the Village of Lions Bay, no rational organization would consider rehiring an individual who displayed the level of disgruntledness exhibited by Mr. Butler.
As an example, Mr. Butler, then a former employee of the Village, voiced to the CBC, "The direction this mayor and council are heading is a dangerous one. The Titanic has set sail. Do not bother rearranging the deck chairs."
His sudden and petulant resignation left the Village in a precarious situation, with locals and builders unable to advance their projects. It also inadvertently exposed past administrations' failures to implement any form of contingency or succession planning. His ultimatums to his employer were rightly rejected then - and showed the toxic culture that had been festering within the Village administration.
Possibly recognizing the challenges of securing stable employment at his age, Mr. Butler has returned to the fold at the Village, quietly reclaiming his position.
His rehiring—despite being well past retirement age and considering his contentious track record—represents a major human resources debacle. And it underscores why these decisions are never made by a council - rather a duly appointed CAO. Relying on Mr. Butler fails to prioritise the needs of the Village, leaving us all susceptible to potential future acts of insubordination and sudden departures, again with no contingency planning.
It’s distressing to imagine that I, or anyone else, might have to secure a building permit in this village. Given my criticism here, I can only speculate about the reception I might receive from Mr. Butler. If his past disrespect for the Village is any indication, what might a simple Villager like me expect? The truth, as they say, comes at a price. I am prepared to pay mine. Can the councillors, who continue to misuse our tax dollars, say the same? Perhaps they could at least provide some insight into their supposedly brilliant human resources strategy?
Sincerely,
Ehsan Monfared Village Resident
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