Iqaluit SAO on disability leave

MICHAELA RODRIGUE
Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT — Illness is keeping Iqaluit’s senior administrative officer away from the job for most of the summer.

Iqaluit’s SAO, John Raycroft, is away from work on short-term disability leave. He is not expected to return to work until Sept. 30.

Raycroft has already been absent for about six weeks.

The SAO manages Town operations and acts as an adviser to Council.

Raycroft’s frequent absences have caused a lack of leadership in the Town’s senior administration, said Coun. Matthew Spence.

During Raycroft’s absences, other Town staff members have filled in as SAO, but Spence is waiting to hear if Raycroft is able to return to work permanently. If not, he said a solution is needed.

“We’re just moving around in a circle until we get this resolved with our senior administrative officer. Either he comes back and begins to provide that leadership or he decides he’s not able to come back,” Spence said.

“Certainly we’re prepared to take him back,” Spence said.

Spence wants to contact Raycroft to find out if he wants to return to work at the Town. Prior to his most recent absence, Raycroft was frequently away from Iqaluit.

Last month, in reaction to those absences, Spence proposed that a new executive committee be formed to work directly with Town staff. The committee was supposed to fill the void.

The new executive committee still has not met, and Spence said he wants the role of the committee discussed further at next month’s council meeting.

But Spence said that ultimately, the Town, needs a full-time SAO.

“I think we need to resolve the situation because in his absence we have to have an acting SAO and that acting SAO generally has other duties… so it’s a lot of responsibility to put on somebody’s shoulders,” Spence said.

Spence expects Raycroft’s position will be discussed at a future in camera council meeting.

The Town’s director of recreation, David St. Louis, is acting SAO until Sept. 30.

Former social services director Paul Fraser has also filled in as acting SAO in recent weeks.