Clerk no longer with city

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

Former city clerk Andrew Brouwer has parted ways with the city.

Commissioner of corporate services Tracy Adams confirmed via email to The Oshawa Express that Brouwer was no longer an employee of the City of Oshawa, but did not provide details of his departure.

He joined the City of Oshawa in December 2016, previously serving as town clerk and director of legislative services in Newmarket, deputy city clerk in Markham, and deputy clerk in Whitechurch-Stouffville.

He also was the manager of board affairs for the Ontario Hospital Association from 2005 to 2007.

During Brouwer’s tenure, the city clerks office oversaw the return of Oshawa back to a ward system for the 2018 municipal election.

Another significant task faced by Brouwer and the department involved an effort of several residents to have documents related to the city’s purchase of 199 Wentworth Street East for the consolidated works depot in 2013 publicly released.

The documents were originally planned to be released on Aug. 23, 2018, but Brouwer told The Express it turned into a much more daunting task than first expected.

Brouwer said the records were “not professionally managed” five years ago, and needed to be formatted in a way that would be accessible to the public.

In order to release the documents, the city also has to adhere to regulations under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.

This means the clerks department must ensure that certain confidential and private information is not released with the records.

At a recent corporate services committee meeting, Brouwer said the documents would be released within the first quarter of 2019.

Adams says Brouwer’s departure from the city will not affect this timeline.