Shaun Rootenberg's visions of Starbucks

Shaun Rootenberg tried to acquire a personal Starbucks coffee franchise after he left Algoma Public Health in May of last year, the province's governance assessment of APH reveals.

"Following Mr. Rootenberg's departure at the end of May, as a result of his initiative to lease space in the [APH] premises, a process was in place to explore the establishment of a Starbucks franchise in the late summer and early fall," says the report, released in Sault Ste. Marie today by assessor Graham Scott.

"Mr. Rootenberg decided to compete for the franchise. As the process unfolded, the medical officer of health [Dr. Kim Barker] remained involved," Scott said.

The franchise, in turn, would have competed for leased space in the APH headquarters building at 294 Willow Avenue.

Approached work with energy and vigor

Although disclosures of Rootenberg's criminal past have rocked the community over the past six months. Scott said he found no evidence that his work as APH's interim chief financial officer was inappropriate.

"He approached his work with energy and vigor and moved quickly to address many of the serious issues facing [APH]," the assessor said.

Scott credited Rootenberg with finding revenue sources for the health unit and providing an asset base that allowed APH to address its outstanding capital debt to the Royal Bank.

"He had considerable success in restructuring the ownership of the [APH] building and land, providing necessary security for the capital debt which required important negotiations with [the City of Sault Ste. Marie], Sault College and the bank. Although not without controversy, he completed a successful contract negotiation with the Canadian Union of Public Employees," Scott said.

"On the negative side, he moved too quickly in attempting to lease the vacant parts of the building and did not take into account imperatives of professional/ client management, causing both dislocation and considerable angst among staff."

Perceived as Dr. Barker's informal chief advisor

Scott found no suggestion that Rootenberg derived any personal benefit from his work overseeing the health unit's finances.

"It should be noted that he reported regularly to the board on his work and was praised and complimented by them."

Scott pointed out that Rootenberg arrived in the Sault around the same time that Dr. Kim Barker began working as APH's medical officer of health, in the summer of 2013.

He was hired by Barker effective November 25 of that year and remained at APH through May, 2014.

Even after he left APH, Rootenberg remained in the Sault for some time and was often seen around APH headquarters.

It didn't take long after Rootenberg was hired by Barker for senior APH managers to perceive him as acting as an informal chief advisor to Barker, Scott wrote in his report.

"It was not unusual for Mr. Rootenberg to raise a matter with a fellow member of senior management team, only to have [Dr. Barker] make a subsequent decision that appeared based on the position taken earlier by Mr. Rootenberg in the conversation with the manager."

Combined with Rootenberg's responsibility to cut costs, this "paved the way for speculation and suspicion among staff and indeed consternation where departments and staff were affected or potentially affected by his actions."

In researching his report, Scott interviewed 15 past and current members of the APH board, 26 APH executives and staff, as well as Mayor Christian Provenzano, MPP David Orazietti and Alex Lambert, chief executive officer of Group Health Centre.

Shaun Rootenberg volunteered to be interviewed by Scott.

"Dr. Barker provided a written statement and some additional answers through her lawyer but did not agree to a one-on-one interview," Scott said.

Earlier SooToday and LOCAL2 coverage of today's press conference:

Will Marchy Bruni resign? (7 photos)(updated)

Read the Algoma Public Health report here

Replay: Health minister ousts APH board