Severance pay: noun – A sum of money usually based on length of employment for which an employee is eligible upon termination.

I read that Abbotsford’s city manager Mr. Guthrie retired early. I do not recall reading anything about “dismissed” or “terminated”?

What is this golden handshake of a severance package? No employment contract has provisions for payment of any severance pay, much less such an extravagant amount, when an employee retires or quits. Just what is going on?

For the sake of transparency and giving taxpayers the whole story I think we need a great deal more information – without being forced to file Freedom of Information requests.

Did Mr. Guthrie retire or was he terminated? If he retired what is this so-called severance pay really about, since you are not entitled to severance pay if you retire or quit? If he was terminated, why was he terminated? More to the point, why the misleading public statements about retirement?

Does the timing of this sudden appearance of a “severance package” have anything to do with reports Mr. Guthrie was preparing to sue the city for wrongful dismissal? If in fact this “severance package” is to prevent or settle a potential lawsuit, why is it presented to the public as a severance pay?

What is really going on; what is the truth here? Taxpayers, as the ones paying for this “severance package” have a right to have these and any other questions they may have on this matter answered – fully and truthfully.