'He's been driven out': CAO who helped guide newly elected council shockingly resigns

After just over two years on the job, Central Elgin (CE) chief administrative officer (CAO) Paul Shipway has shockingly resigned.

“It's going to be devastating for this, for all of Central Elgin,” says former CE mayor Sally Martyn.

“He was the best, and we knew we had the cream of the crop in Elgin County when it came to CAOs,” says Tom Marks, former CE deputy mayor.

CTV News obtained a letter sent to staff and council announcing Shipway will be resigning from his position of CAO/clerk on March 10.

“It has been a pleasure to serve the Municipality of Central Elgin and its stakeholders,” wrote Shipway.

“The Municipality of Central Elgin has remarkable staff and it has been a privilege to work alongside them. I wish the Municipality of Central Elgin all the best into the future.”

Shipway has been a guide for the new councillors, all of whom came in three months ago without a day of experience.

“I don't know what we would have done without him,” says Morgaine Halpin, one of the newly elected councillors in CE.

“Paul has been guiding us through as far as the information understanding the processes. Paul has vision. I think he would have been the face of our future if he had stayed here.”

CTV News reached out to Shipway to ask why he was leaving. He responded that it was, “for personal reasons and there would be no further comment.”

Martyn didn’t hold back when she says there is a reason Shipway and his staff are staying tight lipped.

“He's deliberately not saying anything,” says Martyn, who says she is hearing from staff and other councillors that a few members of the new council have created a toxic work environment.

“It's just two people on council that have driven him out, and they have driven him out. It is the mayor, and the councillor from Port Stanley.

A virtual meeting of Central Elgin Council (Source: YouTube/Central Elgin)

Martyn says Shipway is walking away from a position without another job lined up.

“It's emotionally draining when they (council) won't believe anything he says. They don't accept any of the things that he's doing and Paul just said the ‘best thing for me is to leave,’” says Martyn.

CTV News contacted CE Mayor Andrew Sloan via phone. He declined to comment on Shipway’s departure, stating he doesn’t speak on matters related to personnel.

Shipway came to Central Elgin and immediately helped win them a distinguished budget presentation award. His staff also helped land a number of funding announcements.

Several sources told CTV News Shipway had planned to stay long term.

“Who's going to want to come if they have any inkling as to why Paul is leaving? Or they watch any of the meetings?” says Martyn.

Marks went one step further to say judging by the body language in the meetings, staff do not look happy.

“The climate that looks like has been created will be difficult to attract good people,” says Marks.

“This is another Norfolk County situation. It's unfortunate, and I'm still really upset.”

Shipway added in his resignation letter that he will help in “assisting and supporting the municipality through this transition period.”

While Shipway is set to walk away in early March, the deputy clerk Dianne Wilson is set to retire, leaving CE without two members of its senior administration.