Carolyn Parrish uses strong mayor powers to fire top bureaucrat

Mississauga's new mayor, Carolyn Parrish, has already used strong mayor powers half a dozen times in her first week on the job, despite saying on the campaign trail that she would aim to avoid using them.

On May 7, before becoming mayor, Parrish told CBC News: "I would try not to use strong mayor powers. I think the power of persuasion and general good solid policy is much stronger."

However, the new mayor has already used the powers for a number of moves, including to replace the city's chief administrative officer (CAO).

Shari Lichterman was the's city manager and CAO until last week.

But on June 25, the day after the new mayor was sworn in, Parrish asked to meet with her, Litcherman told CBC News. Litcherman said Parrish told her at the meeting that her job was being terminated immediately without cause.

The city's website confirms Parrish used her provincially granted strong mayor powers — which allow her to act without the majority of council to override bylaws and hire and fire department heads — to replace Lichterman with Geoff Wright as the interim city manager and CAO effective immediately until the end of the year. 

"I was hoping to be given an opportunity to work with her," said Litcherman. "But clearly, she had already made a decision."  

Parrish did not respond to a request from CBC News to speak about the decision. 

Among half a dozen mayoral directives so far, Parrish has rescinded Mayor Crombie's decision to delegate the powers to hire and dismiss certain city officials to the city manager, appointed an interim city solicitor, created a deputy mayor position, appointed various chair and vice chairs and changed the nature of the budget committee.

The slew of unilateral decisions just days into her term is raising concerns from some political experts that the mayor's choice to repeatedly use strong mayor powers could have a chilling effect among councillors and staff.

The role of the city manager and CAO is to make sure the municipality functions well and can deliver services like public transit or recreation programs well to the public.

Council first met with Parrish as its mayor on June 26 — after Lichterman was let go — leaving no opportunity to form a decision together about the future of the role. 

Lichterman said she worked with Parrish while the new mayor was still a councillor and the two never had a negative relationship. 

In a news release June 26, Parrish thanked Lichterman for her contributions, but did not say why she was replacing her with a new CAO.