Council mum on reason for Dinwoodie departure

Other than confirming his departure, members of Osoyoos council have little to say about the sudden departure this week of operational services director Jim Dinwoodie.

Reached at home Friday evening, Mayor Sue McKortoff would not comment on whether Dinwoodie quit or was fired.

“This was a personnel issue … and I can’t comment,” she said. “It was dealt with the CAO (Barry Romanko).”

“These things don’t happen all at once,” said the mayor. “There are things that go on that must be dealt with and that’s our job.”

Romanko could not be reached for comment.

However, he reportedly said in a release Friday morning: “Jim Dinwoodie is no longer employed with the Town of Osoyoos. … This is a personnel matter and the town has no further comments.”

Dinwoodie was no longer in his office this week and his name was abruptly dropped from the town’s website contact list.

Councillor Brian Harvey confirmed that the parting of the ways between Dinwoodie and the town occurred on Wednesday. “I knew it was coming, but that’s all I can say,” he said

Councillor Jim King, said Friday evening that he has been at the coast all week and out of the loop.

“I got a memo the other day that he was let go. … The cause, I don’t know. … I don’t know exactly what happened,” King said. He added later, “’Let go’ may not be the right term.”

Dinwoodie’s departure brings to three the number of senior vacancies the town needs to fill in the near future. The process to hire a fire chief is in full swing and Romanko announced last month that he will be leaving his CAO spot in August.

Roy Wood