SW Ranches could fire town official - John Canada loses support after councilman reconsiders

SOUTHWEST RANCHES -- It was all but officially decided Thursday night to fire Town Administrator John Canada.

Councilman Forest Blanton, who previously voted to keep Canada, told the Town Council he had reconsidered. Rather than Canada's status being a campaign issue for candidates vying to replace Blanton in November, he wanted to give the new councilmember a clean slate.

"I don't think that this election should be about John Canada," said Blanton, who is not seeking re-election.

Because Canada's service was not on the meeting agenda, the council could not legally take a vote. Instead, it was scheduled for an Oct. 12 meeting.

With Blanton's decision, it appears there is a supermajority -- four votes -- needed to sever the $688,080 contract the town has with John Canada & Associates for administrative needs. Vice Mayor Don Maines and Councilmen Aster Knight and Jeff Nelson also said they would vote to oust Canada, while Mayor Mecca Fink has supported him in the past.

"I'm disappointed but support the town in its transition and as it carries on the good work that we've started," said Canada, whose contract runs out in 2008.

The first bid to fire Canada came three weeks ago during a performance review and failed by a 3-2 vote, with Blanton and Fink supporting Canada. At that meeting, council members said Canada did not communicate well, had no accountability, did not keep accurate records of town finances and hired family members though they lacked experience.

"Everything in life is a relationship and sometimes you come to an impasse, ," resident Susan Winn said Thursday. "You have to thank each other for what you've done and go your separate ways."

Canada, a Southwest Ranches resident for more than 20 years, began working for the town in January 2001, leaving a 26-year career as budget director for Broward County.

Most agree he has done much to uphold the town's motto of "Preserving Our Rural Lifestyle" by purchasing land to fend off commercial development. But his tenure has been rocky. Most recently, the town was angered by his controversial hire of Charity Good as an assistant.

She began work in July while still serving as city manager for the Miami-Dade County municipality of North Bay Village.

Because of fallout from both municipalities, Canada changed Good to part-time status until her contract in North Bay Village ended. But Southwest Ranches wanted a full-time assistant. Good resigned in August, saying the uproar left her unable to work positively with the town.

The town two years ago budgeted a $100,000 salary for an assistant position, but it remained unfilled for months except for Good's short tenure. Some town officials had wanted the money back. Though Canada offered to return $13,000, Maines said it wasn't enough. A chief concern for the town has been Canada's bookkeeping.

Earlier this year, auditors assailed the town for sloppy books.

The same comment came in October 2005, when auditors faulted the town for poor bookkeeping as well as nepotism and missing documentation. Canada had hired his daughter, Shari, as town clerk. She now works for the city of Hallandale Beach. Canada also hired his wife as town bookkeeper, but council members say she lacks experience.

The state's Commission on Ethics cleared Canada in March, saying the code of ethics did not apply to Canada or his staff because his company is under a private contract.