Seniors at North Ridge Lodge are speaking out after the Sturgeon Foundation fired the facility’s manager as part if its organizational restructuring.
Sherry Munroe was one of four managers who were escorted from foundation facilities in late April.
“It may be legal to do it that way, but it’s certainly not right,” said resident Evelyn Ferguson. “We were not even given the opportunity to tell her how much she meant to us and how much we appreciated her.”
Munroe, with five years experience, was escorted out on Thursday, April 26 with residents being notified the following Monday.
Ferguson said there are many residents in the 45-unit lodge who are unhappy with the situation, although most are fearful of speaking out.
“A lot of people are afraid if they speak out, they could be kicked out. They’re afraid of a rent increase,” she said. “They agree with what we’re saying but they don’t want to speak out.”
Resident Dorris Grabski said many residents consider the staff to be more like family.
“We’re almost like children and they’re our mothers. We need that nurturing, there’s so many that need it,” she said. “To me, she was a mother to all of us — that’s the way she was.”
St. Albert’s Chateau Mission Court also lost its manager, Sharon Hill, to the restructuring. She spent roughly 20 years with the foundation.
The foundation is seeking an individual with experience in the housing industry and project planning to fill the position of housing administrator for both St. Albert lodges — a process that could take several months, said Dennis Magnusson, executive director.
He said several applications have been submitted. Until a housing administrator is chosen, Magnusson and both locations’ assistant managers will fill in.
“The workload is definitely heavier for those people during this time, but we’ve been managing,” he said.
Ferguson said residents are less trusting of the foundation as a result of the restructuring and are likely going to be less trusting of the housing administrator.
“I think people will be wary. No one is going to be greeted with open arms,” she said.
She also expressed concern that various fundraisers spearheaded by the managers in St. Albert might be in jeopardy, although Magnusson said these fundraisers would not be affected.
Lisa Bertschi from Heritage Place Lodge in Morinville and Lois McRae from Spruce View Manor in Gibbons were terminated. Stacey Danake from Legal’s Chateau Sturgeon and Walter Felitsyn from Redwater’s Diamond Spring Lodge will take over as housing administrators at the respective locations.
Three administrative assistants will also be hired. Magnusson said he expects the organizational restructuring to save an estimated $100,000 annually.
