Hamiltonian Halloween and the "A" Word

As Halloween approaches, it seems fitting to shine a light on something that sends a chill down the spine of many senior executives — the “A” word: Accountability.

Few words in the workplace evoke more discomfort. Yet accountability, far from being a bogeyman, is the very foundation of good governance and effective leadership. The problem is, it’s often misunderstood — and, at times, deliberately avoided.

Phrases like “one throat to choke” capture the old-school, punitive view of accountability — one that equates responsibility with blame. It’s an outdated mindset that discourages openness, innovation, and growth.

At The Hamiltonian, we’ve seen firsthand how some senior executives shy away from formal performance contracts, fearing that these agreements are precursors to being fired if targets aren’t met. In reality, accountability done right is not about punishment — it’s about clarity, alignment, and improvement.

Take, for example, the City of Hamilton. The City Manager’s performance is guided by goals set “in collaboration with the Mayor,” focused on Council’s approved priorities: sustainable development, safe neighbourhoods, and transparency"  However, there is no formal, public-facing performance contract or set of measurable targets.

Interestingly, the City Manager, in a recent Q/A refused to provide statistics as to the percentage of staff and managers who have a current performance plan in place. This would suggest one of the following: the percentage is so low that it would be embarrassing to report, the city simply cannot determine these numbers for lack of ability, in keeping with established patterns, this is yet one more instance of Hamiltonians deliberately being kept in the dark, or another reason only known to the city. In any event, we pushed our deadline to allow Ms. Cluckie to provide these statistics, and she failed to . 

So, how can anyone — including residents — know whether the City is performing at a high level? How is success measured? And how is the Mayor evaluating outcomes without defined benchmarks? How many people even have a performance plan in place?

A performance contract provides the necessary structure and transparency. It spells out expectations, establishes measurable goals, and cascades these through every level of the organization. Done properly, it aligns everyone — from senior leaders to front-line staff — toward shared objectives.

Contrary to popular fear, performance contracts and deliverology (the science of turning goals into measurable results) are not tools to intimidate. They are instruments of growth and excellence.

Consider a simple example:

Objective: Ensure Hamiltonians have timely and efficient access to automated services.
Target: 5% or less downtime for all public-facing systems.

In this case, success means city websites, email systems, and online registration tools must function at least 95% of the time. If the actual uptime drops to 82%, the question isn’t “Who’s to blame?” — it’s “What went wrong, and how can we fix it?”

True accountability encourages this spirit of inquiry. It transforms a shortfall into an opportunity for learning, problem-solving, and collaboration. Teams identify causes, implement corrective actions, and measure improvement. Success becomes not just about hitting targets, but about developing resilience, adaptability, and trust.

When applied this way, accountability builds confidence rather than fear. Results are presented to Council not as defensive postures but as learning stories: Here’s what happened, here’s how we addressed it, and here’s how we’re stronger now.

That’s the kind of accountability Hamilton deserves — transparent, constructive, and forward-looking.

So this Halloween, let’s unmask the myth. Accountability is not a monster hiding in the shadows of City Hall. It’s a mirror that reflects integrity, performance, and pride in public service.

For the City of Hamilton — and any organization aiming to be truly high-performing — embracing deliverology and transparent performance contracts isn’t something to fear. It’s something to celebrate.

After all, accountability isn’t about process. It’s about delivering results for the people you serve. It need not be the scariest word in the office. 

The Hamiltonian

Promises, Promises or Finally? Checking in with City Manager Marnie Cluckie

On May 11, 2005, The Hamiltonian reached out to City Manager Marnie Cluckie with a series of questions in an article titled Promises, Promises or Finally? (see it here) The title reflected a sentiment shared by many Hamiltonians — that while promises of change had been made on various fronts, the community continued to wait for those promises to materialize.

On May 11, 2025, Ms. Cluckie outlined a path forward for the city. In the spirit of accountability and transparency, The Hamiltonian revisited our earlier exchange with Ms. Cluckie to assess what progress has been achieved since that time.

Below are our follow-up questions and Ms. Cluckie’s responses. We thank Ms. Cluckie for once again engaging directly with Hamiltonians through The Hamiltonian and invite our readers to consider whether her answers reflect the progress they expect and deserve.

Ms. Cluckie:

On May 11, 2025, you responded to a number of questions posed to you by The Hamiltonian. This article can be found here.http://www.thehamiltonian.net/2025/05/promises-promises-or-finally.html

We are doing a follow up to this article and the assurances you gave in your responses. Specifically, can you provide an update on the following:

1. Customer Service Strategy Progress:

In your May 11, 2025, response, you stated that the City of Hamilton had approved funding for a customer service strategy in the 2024 budget, but the rollout was delayed due to the cyberattack. You also mentioned that a Request for Proposal (RFP) would be issued “shortly.” Can you provide an update on the timeline for the RFP release and any significant progress made thus far? Specifically, how far along is the City in implementing customer service expectations and standards? Are there any measurable outcomes to date that can be shared with the public?

City of Hamilton staff are currently assessing the proposals that were received through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for third-party experts to assist with the development of the Customer Service Strategy. The RFP closed in September 2025 and staff are working to select the successful vendor in the coming weeks.

2. Employee Performance Evaluations:

As part of the City’s Performance Accountability and Development (PAD) Program, you mentioned in May 2025 that one of the first steps is setting performance expectations and conducting evaluations at year-end. Given that we are now well into 2025, could you provide the current percentage of City employees who have up to date performance documents in place? Additionally, we request a breakdown by management versus non-management staff.

The Performance Accountability and Development (PAD) process includes a collaborative discussion between each employee and their leader to support career growth and establish goals and objectives for the year. For employees to be successful in their role and feel like contributing members of a team, they need to clearly understand what is expected of them and how their work connects to the priorities of the City.

The PAD process is a critical tool for the collective success of the organization to deliver on priorities, enabling continuous improvement, service excellence and accountability to residents.

Editor’s Note:Ms. Cluckie’s response to this question did not address the substance of our inquiry. We specifically requested statistical information indicating how many City of Hamilton employees currently have an active performance plan in place, and how those figures compare between management and staff. We also wrote to Ms. Cluckie inquiring if she had any questions about our questions, prior to her responding. We did not receive any indication that she did. 

After receiving her response to  question 2, we  wrote to the Ms. Cluckie expressing our concern regarding the lack of a direct response and extended our original deadline to provide Ms. Cluckie an additional opportunity to answer the question and demonstrate transparency. Unfortunately, she chose not to provide a further response.

3. Public Access to Departmental and Divisional Workplans:

In our previous exchange, you mentioned that employee goals and objectives are aligned with departmental and divisional workplans. Can you make these workplans available for public review, so that Hamilton taxpayers can see how their tax dollars are being allocated and what specific objectives departments are working toward?

As part of each year’s Budget process, City Departments present to Council on their priorities and programs, including financial figures related to the investments in high-quality municipal services residents rely on. These presentations reflect this term of Council’s approved priorities and provide an important opportunity to enhance public transparency regarding City priorities and resource allocation. While internal departmental workplans are not published in full, residents can access the comprehensive information about departmental priorities and planned investments through this process. More information on the annual budget process can be found here https://www.hamilton.ca/city-council/city-administration/city-budget/2025-tax-rate-budget.

4. Formalized Performance Contract:

You previously indicated that your performance objectives are set in collaboration with the Mayor and reflect Council’s approved priorities. However, there does not appear to be a formal written performance contract in place for you as City Manager. Has there been any discussion or progress in establishing a formal, written contract that clearly outlines the goals, performance metrics, and expectations for your role as the most senior public servant in Hamilton? If such a contract exists, can you provide any details regarding its structure and accountability measures?

Consistent with the response shared this past May, the City Manager’s annual performance goals and objectives are set in collaboration with the Mayor, who reviews and evaluates outcomes. While there is not a formalized, public-facing performance contract, the City Manager’s objectives are designed to deliver on Council’s approved priorities for this term: Sustainable Economic & Ecological Development, Safe & Thriving Neighbourhoods, and Responsiveness & Transparency. The City Manager continues to focus on delivering results, improving service, strengthening accountability and fostering a high-performing organization to meet the needs of Hamilton residents.