Regina mayor confirms city manager’s chief of staff was fired

There are more changes to staffing at Regina City Hall.

It was revealed this week that city manager Niki Anderson is on unspecified leave, and former city clerk Jim Nicol is filling the role on an interim basis.

In addition, Mayor Chad Bachynski confirmed that Anderson’s chief of staff Ly Pham had been fired.

“There were changes made in administration,” Bachynski said during an interview on the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Thursday.

“I can confirm she’s no longer employed at the city.”

An emailed statement from the City of Regina communications team on Thursday afternoon confirmed that Pham, along with Christine Pirlot, executive assistant to the city manager, and Audra Young, director of Indigenous relations and community development are no longer with the City of Regina. The email said “the City has no further comment on this matter.”

Mayor Chady Bachynski confirmed that Ly Pham was let go from her role as the city manager’s chief of staff. (Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy)

Listen to the full interview with Bachynski:

When pushed on the reasons for Anderson’s leave, Bachynski was slim on details.

“All I can say is we were given notice that she’s on leave for an undetermined amount of time, and that’s what we know right now,” the mayor said.

“I completely appreciate the want and the desire for transparency, absolutely. You know, the biggest thing is just being personal reasons and around a personnel issue. In this way, with a leave, we have to be, you know, respectful of that process. And we have to be respectful of, you know, what needs to happen when we’re given notice of a leave like that.”

The decision to remove Pham from her role as chief of staff was made by city administration, not by council. Human resources decisions are made and carried out by the administration.

The staff changes have made headlines in a week where city council has a big agenda of items to address.

Read More:

• Jim Nicol appointed acting city manager, Niki Anderson on leave
• Shared e-scooters return to Regina roads on Thursday
• Regina councillor wants to delay flood map updates that could affect Crescents, Lakeview

On Friday, council will vote on whether to not to add fluoride to the city’s water. The issue had been voted on by a previous council, but Ward 10’s Clark Bezo raised a motion expressing concern about the issue.

“There may be some new information to review from four years ago. So that’s the job we have is to listen to the number of delegations, both residents and the medical community, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the dental community,” Bachynski explained.

“We’ll listen to everybody. We’ll look and see if there’s something that’s changed or, you know, would warrant a change in position, and we’ll decide from there.”

Additionally, construction is set to begin on Park and Dewdney, and Bachynski confirmed the city is working with local businesses in the area to make sure the ongoing work is not a hindrance.