A new top executive hired by the City of Guelph played an integral role in mayor Cam Guthrie's re-election campaign in 2018.
Jodie Sales was announced Wednesday as the city's new head of strategy, innovation and intergovernmental services.
In 2018 Sales was working for the Town of Milton when she joined the campaign team that helped Guthrie get re-elected by a landslide.
Asked for comment about the hiring of Sales, the mayor replied via email:
"I had no knowledge of Ms. Sales applying for this position. All city administration hiring is done through the CAO or other city management," the email said.
New city CAO Scott Stewart said it was disclosed to him that Sales was involved in the mayor's campaign prior to her hire.
He said that had "no bearing on the hiring of Ms. Sales. She was hired based solely on her merit, work ethic, her skills and extensive experience in the private sector and specific work in the municipal sector. I look forward to her joining the Guelph team next week."
Members of city council, including the mayor, do not have any direct input into the hiring of any city staff other than the CAO.
Sales has plenty of experience that qualifies her for the position.
She comes to Guelph after serving as director of corporate communications and government relations for the Town of Milton for three and a half years.
Prior to that she was Milton's head of corporate communications and marketing, a communications manager with RBC and worked in communications in Halton Region. She holds a master of public administration from the University of Western Ontario and a bachelor of commerce from the University of Guelph.
Sales, who will report directly to the CAO, takes over the role previously held by Barb Swartzentruber, who is now leading the Guelph-Wellington Smart Cities project.
She starts her new job Sept. 9.
In a news release, Stewart said Sales' “experience in the public and private sectors has shaped a customer-centred approach to public policy and local service delivery. She brings well-rounded and valuable experience to a portfolio that’s more important than ever as cities work to modernize and innovate to solve complex problems.”
Sales will be running a department that gives council and senior staff support, advice and expertise on provincial and federal policy matters and work with the upper levels of government on advancing the city's goals.
