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Enterprise SAO stays put in job Council reaffirms zero-tolerance policy toward harassment
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 2, 2013
ENTERPRISE
Enterprise will not have to search for a new senior administrative officer (SAO).
Terry testart has decided to remain as SAO for Enterprise. - |
Terry Testart has rescinded the resignation he had e-mailed to the hamlet's mayor in July.
The resignation e-mail was over concerns about what he described as harassment - including abusive and vulgar language - sometimes directed at him and other hamlet employees by members of the public.
Testart said he announced he would be staying at a council meeting in late July.
"Council reconfirmed that they supported a zero-tolerance policy," he said, adding councillors also stated they would all work toward treating staff in a more positive way and supporting staff.
Testart had expressed his concern at a July 24 public meeting, which attracted 13 people, not including council members and hamlet staff, which is considerable in a community of about 100 residents.
Most expressed support for Testart and a desire to see him stay as SAO.
The public meeting had a "huge" impact on his decision, he said.
"That was the biggest factor that made me stay."
Mayor Mike St. Amour, who had refused to accept Testart's e-mailed resignation, said he is pleased the SAO has decided to stay with the hamlet.
As for the council's reconfirmation of its commitment to zero-tolerance of harassment, St. Amour said, if an incident is reported by staff, it will go straight into the process to deal with such matters.
"We won't question incidents and we'll take them for face value. So if someone does breach the zero-tolerance policy, we will take it all the way," he said, adding that, if the RCMP needs to be called in, that will happen.
St. Amour said some incidents were ignored in the past.
With previous SAOs, sometimes incidents stopped at that person's desk and council wasn't advised, he said.
"Protecting our staff is important," St. Amour said.
Testart has worked for the hamlet since early January.
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