NEWS
SPCA director's contract included 2 years severance

Vancouver Courier,

August 22, 2001
By David Carrigg

Staff writer

The former boss of Vancouver's SPCA branch may seek more than $400,000 from the struggling provincial operation, after he was dismissed for securing huge increases in his wage and benefits package.

Michael Steven, president of the B.C. SPCA, said the society could lose close to half a million dollars-including legal costs-if the B.C. Supreme Court backs a claim by Douglas Hooper that he was dismissed without cause.

The sorry tale, which has tarnished the SPCA's reputation, began in 1996, when Hooper-then unemployed-was appointed executive director of the B.C. SPCA's Vancouver branch at a starting salary of $66,000 a year. The 32 provincial branches operate autonomously from head office and are responsible for hiring their own staff, through their boards of directors.

After working for six months, Hooper got former Vancouver branch president Michael Dear to approve a pay and benefits hike to $88,000, without consulting the board. Then in October 1997, Hooper went to Dear with a new contract, including a wage and benefits package of $96,000 and a condition that if Hooper was terminated, he would get a two-year wage payout.

That deal was also approved by Dear without consulting the board. Several more pay increases averaging 24 per cent a year were approved by Dear, and by last year, Hooper was earning almost $200,000.

When Hooper was fired last Friday-on the grounds that he put his interests ahead of the best interests of the branch-he was earning $204,000. While his salary was peaking, the Vancouver branch's income was falling. Shortly after Hooper's most recent pay hike, in January this year, the branch lost key animal control contracts with the cities of Coquitlam and North Vancouver.

"He received way too much for way too long and received it improperly in the first place," said Steven, adding the B.C. SPCA has decided not to pursue Dear, who has now resigned, because he was an honest volunteer who didn't understand financial matters.

"We are a non-profit society and contributors and members expect accountability and transparency and this employment contract, drawn up by Mr. Hooper, was not either," said Steven, a Kerrisdale lawyer. "He obtained increases without the full knowledge of the board."

Steven said Hooper and his lawyer, Geoff Howard, have made it clear they see no grounds for termination with cause and Hooper is therefore entitled to two years' severance pay.

"His position is that he took no steps to stop Michael Dear from obtaining independent advice on the contract or referring it to the board, that he did nothing wrong," Steven said.

The B.C. SPCA operates with a province-wide budget of $20 million while the Vancouver branch's annual income is $10 million.

Meanwhile the operation is struggling to regain credibility with donors, particularly those who have indicated they will bequeath money to the cause.

Lorie Chortyk, the society's public affairs spokeswoman, said when Hooper and the Vancouver branch board were suspended in May, some donors contacted the society saying they were holding off on donations until the matter was resolved. Chortyk said the society has contacted hundreds of donors to convince them not to pull funding.

The B.C. SPCA, which is described by Steven as a complex and cumbersome organization, is trying to streamline its operation by reducing the autonomy of branches and directly employing branch chief executives.

Steven said he has assessed the pay packages of executive directors at the 31 other branches and found nothing like what occurred with Hooper.

"There was never an analysis of Hooper's performance with all the increases. Each time he wrote his own letter of recommendations."

Hooper said he is reviewing his options and will decide shortly whether to pursue the two-year severance package.

"The SPCA is a charity, so I'll have to weigh up my heart and my head," Hooper said.

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Vancouver Courier.
www.vancourier.com

 

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