Several senior city managers in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo have been let go, including Brian Moore who was the executive director of planning and regional development, Kola Oladimeji who was director of financial services, Emdad Haque who was director of engineering, and Bradley Evanson who was director of planning and development. Confirmation that all four senior city managers are no longer employed by the municipality was made but no further comment was given because the issue is a personnel matter. According to Coun. Phil Meagher “Obviously [Chief Administrative Officer Marcel Ulliac] has made some decisions and we have to live with them.” Since there were four senior city managers who were let go it is doubtful that the terminations were because of misconduct or other cause, instead the managers may have been let go because of economic reasons.

The termination of the four senior city managers by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is a sign that there is still an economic struggle going on in the region. Wood Buffalo depends in a large part on the oil industry and the oil companies who operate in the nearby oilsands. With oil still at very low prices and oil companies cutting back on expenses and spending it is possible that the municipality is doing the same and trying to reduce costs when this can be done. There have not been any reports about whether the employees who are no longer employed received any severance or other benefits. Further details about the senior city managers being let go may become public in the next few weeks.