Brampton News Outlet Details Barrick’s Off-Putting Conduct in Both Regions
A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper
Posted February 19th, 2022 on Niagara At Large
David Barrick, shifting those eyes in his old seat (circa mid-to-late 2010s, as a Niagara Regional Councillor for Port Colborne. In that position, Barrick played a significant role in the controversial hiring of former Niagara Region CAO Carmen D’Angelo.
Since the door shut earlier this February on David Barrick’s job as chief administrative officer (CAO) for the City of Brampton, The Pointer – one very fine independent news outlet based in that city – produced a detailed story on Barrick’s controversial conduct in public office.
The story covers Barrick’s time, so long ago, as interim CAO for the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), and as a corporate services director for the NPCA, and as an elected member of Niagara’s Regional Council for the City of Port Colborne.
The Pointer story, one of many the same news outlet has done on Barrick’s alleged misconduct since, with the strong support of Conservative Party ally and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, he was hired as that city’s CAO in the fall of 2019, is what I consider a MUST READ for residents of Niagara and for all public office holders across our region.
Among other things, the Pointer piece tells the story of an individual who, despite how despised his conduct came to be seen in the eyes of many Niagara residents, enjoyed a prepared statement praising his record as an administrator at the NPCA when he parted ways with that public body in February of 2019.
“All the controversy, all the issues, all the problems that were so apparent to the citizens were papered over in nice exit letters,” Niagara area resident Liz Benneian who is also a leading member of a citizens group called ‘A Better Niagara’, was quoted saying in the Pointer article.
“It is grossly unfair to citizens to have these things happen were all the bad stuff gets wallpapered over and everybody’s trying to be nice,” Benneian added, “because what it allows is for these people who are incompetent or worst to continue to go from one job to the next, and continue to get enormous public salaries paid for by the taxpayers.”
Shortly before his departure from the job in February 2019, David Barrick sits (left) as interim CAO for Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. At centre, is then NPCA board chair David Bylsma, who is West Lincoln’s mayor and who praised Barrick’s work at the Conservation Authority in a statement announcing his departure.
In a separate interview with The Pointer, Ed Smith, a St. Catharine resident who is also a director of A Better Niagara, added; “Here is Niagara (the NPCA’s positive statement for Barrick) shot public trust to hell. The citizen anger was measurable. It’s almost like people are still asking as they follow the story (of long list of Barrick’s alleged misdeeds) in Brampton, what does it take to hold people accountable with our tax dollars?”
What does it take indeed?
Shortly before new board of NPCA parts ways with David Barrick in February 2019, Niagara citizens stage protest against Barrick’s role in administration at the Conservation Authority. File photo by Doug Draper
The Pointer story notes that Brampton’s mayor, who is reportedly considering making a run for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party, continues to support Barrick with “nice words”.
Hopefully, nice words from Brown and others will not be enough to see Barrick land another public office position back here in Niagara.
But who knows. Perhaps if Patrick Brown wins the leadership of the federal Conservative Party, he can hire David Barrick as his chief of staff. I doubt many people in that party would mind at all.
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Doug Draper, Niagara At Large
Now for that must-read story in The Pointer. I urge you to click on it right here – https://thepointer.com/article/2022-02-19/spinners-and-losers-patrick-brown-s-misleading-narrative-around-david-barrick
To read a related story recently posted in Niagara At Large, click on – https://niagaraatlarge.com/2022/02/12/david-barrick-formerly-of-niagara-now-out-of-cao-job-in-brampton/
For other related links, click on –
Inside Job report – https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/resources/reports-and-case-summaries/reports-on-investigations/2019/inside-job .
The following is a statement released by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority in February 2019 announcing David Barrick’s department from the NPCA and speaking positively of his work at the agency –
*WELLAND, Ont. (February 21, 2019) The Interim Chief Administrative Officer/Secretary Treasurer, David Barrick and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) Board have concluded a mutual separation agreement effective today.*
David Barrick, once a Port Colborne regional cououncllor and interim CAO at the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, is now out of the CAO job in the City of Brampton, Ontario
*“I am proud of what I was able to accomplish during my tenure with the NPCA. During my time, and with the support of my team, we went from running at an annual net deficit of over $550,000 in 2013, to a combined net surplus for NPCA parks of over $280,000 by year-end 2018. The net surpluses add to the overall financial health of the organization, increased investment in capital have been made and operational reserves have been replenished,” said former Interim CAO David Barrick.*
*“I am incredibly grateful to our Board of Directors who remain engaged and committed to the best interest of the organization, and the assurance that we are following the Conservation Authorities Act. As I move forward to other opportunities, I am excited to bring the same level of creative problem solving, engagement and commitment to excellence that I was able to provide to NPCA.”*
*The NPCA CAO Selection Committee met for a second time February 19, 2019 to engage a third-party recruitment firm to expedite their search for a permanent CAO.*
Niagara Regional Councillor and West Lincoln Mayor David Bylsma spoke positively of David Barrick’s work at the the NPCA while Bylsma served as the Conservation Authority’s board chair.
*“Interim CAO David Barrick supported this Board through a period of transition and change,” says NPCA Chair Dave Bylsma. “He has provided guidance and context to enable us to expedite our search for a permanent CAO. I am certain that our fulsome Permanent CAO recruitment process will result in us hiring an individual who will continue to move this organization forward in a positive direction.”*
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