Brandon city manager to ‘retire’ from duties

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/02/2020 (2162 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former city manager Rod Sage has retired from the City of Brandon after being put on paid leave in October, according to a Friday afternoon statement from the city.

“Brandon City Council wishes to advise that the City of Brandon and City Manager Mr. Rod Sage have mutually agreed to separate. Mr. Sage has elected to retire from the City of Brandon having been employed by the City since 1987 in various capacities, becoming City Manager in November 2017,” the statement reads.

The move was “mutually agreed to be in the best interest of all parties.”

Dean Hammond, city treasurer and acting city manager since mid-October, 2019, will continue in the job until a new city manager is hired.

In Friday’s statement, Mayor Rick Chrest said the process to hire a new city manager will start in a timely manner.

“Council will continue to ensure our operations are handled in a seamless manner and that services our residents rely on are delivered on a responsive, effective basis,” he said.

Calls to Chrest directly were not returned by press time.

Sage was first placed on paid administrative leave in mid-October during an investigation into the death of Christine Robin Mitchell, who was living in Sage’s home when she died suddenly of a suspected overdose in July.

Sage’s paid administrative leave was first extended in November 2019, until the end of January. On Jan. 31, city council again extended his leave, stating councillors were in the middle of 2020 municipal budget deliberations.

The city’s press release issued Friday said no further comment will be provided after both parties engaged in legal advice. Several city councillors also declined to comment when reached on Friday. 

Coun. Jeff Fawcett (Assiniboine) declined to comment further, saying only the mayor would be speaking on Brandon City Council’s behalf. He said council will “start talking right away” about the process to hire a new city manager.

Coun. Shawn Berry (Linden Lanes) also declined to comment. He, too, said the city will start the process to hire a new city manager soon, but said it depends on council’s personnel committee.

Coun. Barry Cullen (Victoria), who sits on the personnel committee, also declined comment. He said hiring a new city manager is part of the city’s process for moving on, and it will be the next thing the city works on.

In an emailed statement, Coun. Shaun Cameron (University) also declined to comment.

The Brandon Sun tried calling the phone number listed publicly for Sage’s house, but a recorded message said the phone number is no longer in service. A door knock at his home address also went unanswered Friday afternoon. No lights were on in the house and the curtains were drawn. 

Calls to Sage’s cellphone were also not returned by press time.

A spokesperson for the City of Brandon said only the mayor and members of city council are able to comment on the situation. A followup email said the city was unable to provide any additional information on Friday.

Police became aware of Mitchell’s death on July 11 from a member of the public and opened an investigation immediately, Brandon Police Service Sgt. Kirby Sararas told The Brandon Sun at the time.

On Oct. 4, the attorney general requested the RCMP review the circumstances of Mitchell’s death as well as Brandon Police Service’s investigation.

That review is still ongoing, a spokesperson with the RCMP told the Sun on Friday.

Sage also stepped back from the Brandon Police Board, delegating his advisory function to Hammond.

» dmay@brandonsun.com, with files from Erin DeBooy. 

» Twitter: @DrewMay_