Skip to content

Surrey turfs deputy city manager

Dan Bottrill launches lawsuit claiming termination was 'unlawful'
39206surreyBottrill
Surrey's former deputy city manager is suing the city after his June dismissal.

The former deputy city manager for Surrey is suing the city for terminating him without cause last spring.

Dan Bottrill filed a statement of claim in B.C. Supreme Court on Aug. 11 seeking damages from the City of Surrey for his dismissal.

The City of Surrey sought someone for the position of deputy city manager in late 2007.

Through a recruiter, the City of Surrey "pursued" Bottrill, according to the statement of claim, "urging him to leave his employment with the District of Abbotsford" to work with Surrey.

In its response to the statement of claim filed on Aug. 26, Surrey says it was Bottrill who was pursuing the city regarding the job.

Bottrill also claims he was told by a senior manager at city hall that if he was ever terminated, his years with Abbotsford would be included in his notice period or severance or cash in lieu.

Surrey denies most of the claims made by Bottrill, and specifically states the city made no such assurances about his time with Abbotsford.

Surrey allows that Bottrill was considered a 15-year employee when he was hired so he could have five weeks holidays, but none of that was tied to his severance.

At the time of his termination, on June 14, 2011, Bottrill was making $198,967 annually, with $25,000 for car allowance, paid overtime, sick bank and performance bonus.

"Since his termination, the plaintiff has not found reasonably equivalent full-time employment," the statement of claim states. "As a result of the unlawful manner of his termination..., (Bottrill) has suffered mental distress and other negative health effects, for which (he) seeks damages...).

Surrey claims Bottrill has made his own situation worse by failing to seek alternate employment since his dismissal.

None of the claims have been proven in court.

@diakiw