Assessment critical of process used to hire Rootenberg

How badly did Algoma Public Health need an interim chief financial officer when it hired Shaun Rootenberg?

So badly, according to the account of Rootenberg's hiring provided in the just-released Ontario government assessment of APH, that the health unit's human resources department was given one week to come up with a candidate.

That was on November 15, 2013.

Five days later, Dr. Kim Barker went to her board without HR involvement and successfully recommended Rootenberg for the job.

Graham Scott, the former deputy health minister assigned to assess APH, was sharply critical of Barker's process for hiring Rootenberg, who did time at Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst after pleading guilty to multiple counts of fraud involving more than $2 million.

Scott described how APH's initial efforts to hire a permanent chief financial offer were going poorly, hindered by a need for a larger salary and an improved job title.

Needing to retain someone to fill the position on an interim basis, APH sought assistance from headhunters.

Five executive recruiters submitted proposals.

APH's human resources manager and Dr. Barker's executive assistant made recommendations.

Dr. Barker didn't like those recommendations and instead endorsed a proposal from Ron Hulse at Mindspan Recruiting.

APH's human resources manager then advised that more advertising was needed because the consultant's proposals were too expensive.

It was at that point, Scott reported, that Barker indicated that "the manager of HR had a week to find someone and she would not participate in the interviews."

According to Scott, the decision five days later to bypass HR and hire Rootenberg was wrong because:

• Barker didn't make appropriate recruiting arrangements with her human resources department.
• She rejected recommendations from her own staff for no apparent reason, expressing a preference for Ron Hulse's Mindspan.
• No contracts were entered with any of the applicants, including Mindspan.
• When Rootenberg was retained through Ron Hulse, Barker gave her board a short summary of his experience but no further detail was provided even when it was requested.

Earlier this year, Ron Hulse told SooToday that he had known Rootenberg since 1999.

He was aware of Rootenberg's criminal past but didn't disclose the information to APH because he believes in Rootenberg, rehabilitation and restorative justice.

Based on Scott's report, Health Minister Eric Hoskins asked for the resignation of Marchy Bruni, the health board's chair, as well as three other board members.

The board is scheduled to meet tonight.

(PHOTO: Just hours before she resigned and cleaned out her desk, Dr. Kim Barker is shown getting legal advice from APH lawyer Bob Paciocco at a packed board meeting on January 21, 2015. David Helwig for SooToday.)