Board of control will meet again today to discuss an apparent prank gone wrong that led to stress leave for a senior city hall manager. Today's meeting at 1 p.m. is a continuation of one that began last week behind closed doors.
It's purpose is to give board of control more information and bring council up to date on the issues, said Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell.
"We've undertaken to get as much information as we can as quickly as we can, to try to resolve it as soon as we can."
Some members of the city's senior leadership team have come under fire over revelations a scheme was cooked up in early November to trick Glenn Howlett, the city's general manager of community services, into believing he had to complete a major report long before initially expected.
Howlett was on vacation in Alberta when he received the phoney resolution, certified by the clerk's office. He made a frantic call to his senior staff to start preparing for the bogus deadline.
After suffering heart palpitations, he took stress leave on doctor's orders. He has been off for two months and has retained lawyer John Judson.
Judson is the same lawyer hired by former acting city manager Jeff Malpass and former human rights specialist Catherine Burr to negotiate departure settlements with the city.
But Gosnell said he hopes to see Howlett, a respected senior manager, back at work when he's ready.
"We see him as a very valuable asset to the community. I've said that many times," he said, adding Howlett has been a city employee for almost 30 years.
"He (Howlett) brings a point of view to proceedings that others might sometimes forget. He brings a very human side to the job."
Gosnell said he has received some calls from an unimpressed public. "They're not very happy that, once again, there appears to be dysfunctional issues at the city."
Both Coun. Joni Baechler and Controller Russ Monteith said they've received telephone calls. Monteith said he has received "a few" calls from "people on both sides of the issue."
Others on city council said little on the weekend, saying it's a confidential personnel matter.
