CAS Overspends, Leader Quits

July 10, 2008 permalink

After Northumberland CAS overspent its budget by $1.4 million, Executive Director Greg Dulmage has resigned. This is not the kind of culture where the captain goes down with the ship.

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Dulmage joins exodus of CAS management

Posted By BY VALERIE MACDONALD, July 8, 2008

Departure of senior management from the local Children's Aid Society will leave a new team dealing with its ongoing deficit of more than $1-million.

At its most recent board meeting, the Children's Aid Society (CAS) of Northumberland received word from its longtime executive director, Greg Dulmage, that he would be retiring at the end of the year, past chair Dick Malowney said.

Mr. Dulmage has been at the local CAS for over 25 years.

"He'll be a tough person to replace," Mr. Malowney said. "He contributed to the society and the community at large."

The second in command at the CAS head office located on Burnham Street in Cobourg, Linda Goldie, retired about a month ago. She was director of service, and was also a long-time employee there. Her position was filled internally by supervisor Tammy Callaghan, Mr. Malowney said.

Hugh Parker, the full-time legal counsel for the agency, left within the past year and has been replaced, Mr. Malowney added.

Even Mr. Malowney himself, who spent at least a decade on the board, stepped down to pass on the position of chair as of last May. He will remain on the board for at least another three-year term, he said. He is heading up the search committee to replace the executive director.

Mr. Dulmage was on vacation and unable to comment on his decision to retire, but when asked if frustration over the ongoing lack of provincial funding was part of the reason, Mr. Malowney said he did not believe that to be the case.

The local CAS has a deficit of about $1.4-million and has requested a change in the funding formula to recognize the realities it faces in meeting its mandate to care for children while still having to pay for "outside resources" to do so, Mr. Malowney said. A Section 14 review was completed about three weeks ago at the agency. A government team undertook both program and financial audits "at our request," Mr. Malowney said.

While the local CAS is awaiting a written report, provincial officials have indicated that "things are going along just fine."

He anticipates the formal report will indicate the CAS here in Northumberland County is handling its mandate, programs and resources appropriately, but that more funding is needed specifically targeting the growing need for paid outside resources for children in care in facilities, not foster homes.

The CAS has a legal mandate to care for children and that includes the need for outside paid resources which is the reason for the deficit, Mr. Malowney summed up.

Source: Northumberland Today