David Duckworth to continue as Calgary’s CAO amid questions over water break accountability

David Duckworth is staying on as Calgary city manager, at least for now.

The chief administrative officer has survived a job performance review, dominated by concerns over accountability in the wake of the city’s water fiasco.

A 12-3 closed door vote Tuesday saw approval for quarterly performance check-ins for the CAO and other evaluation measures to ensure accountability.

Duckworth and administration were grilled during the marathon executive committee meeting.

It comes following the second break of the feeder main in less than two years, and the release of a third party report highlighting decades-long failures in the city’s water infrastructure and a culture of risk acceptance.

While the study doesn’t lay blame on any one individuals, Duckworth told reporters earlier this month he’s accepting accountability as CAO.

“We apologize to Calgarians for being where we are today,” he said. “We don’t want to be where we are.”

Despite this, councillors like Kim Tyers and Dan McLean say someone must be held responsible.

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“We have a lot in these reports about culture, about culture change, and if you want culture to change, maybe it has to start at the top,” he said.

“There’s a sentiment that change is needed,” Coun Landon Johnston added.

Mayor Jeromy Farkas wouldn’t say if he would be handing out pink slips any time soon.

“The expectation from Calgarians is that city council is going to hold our administration to account but also to support them, providing the resources, the culture to get that work done,” he told reporters Tuesday.

Coun. Jennifer Wyness says the city’s focus should be on the current water situation.

“We still haven’t hit the green zone, meanwhile we’re sitting here discussing and being asked by questions by media about what we’re going to with our CAO,” she said.

Meanwhile, Duckworth and Chief Operating Officer Stuart Dalgleish say administration is making headway on the report’s recommendations.

It will return in February with a game plan on how to improve the city’s overall water system.