Mayor Diane Therrien said she didn't participate "in any way" in the process of hiring the accountant who handled her campaign finances to a staff position at city hall.

Yvette Peplinskie, a chartered accountant and chartered public accountant, will start her new job as the city's finance manager May 27.

For nine years, she's been the deputy treasurer at Peterborough County. She also worked on Therrien's campaign last year.

Peplinskie said there's no conflict with the hiring: the campaign is long over, she pointed out in an interview, and the financial statements have been filed.

Therrien said she wasn't on the hiring committee.

"I learned from (chief administrative officer Sandra Clancy) that the hiring committee chose Yvette for the job, and I trust that they made their decision based on the merits of her job application," she wrote in a message to The Examiner on Thursday.

Peplinskie will fill a job vacancy left by Richard Freymond, who had been city finance manager and treasurer until he was promoted in February to commissioner of corporate and legislative services.

Freymond retained the role of city treasurer with his promotion to commissioner, but his finance manager role was left vacant.

There's been a series of retirements, departures and hires at city hall over the last year. There has also been a reorganization of staff to streamline services.

In May 2018, city services were consolidated under three commissioners at city hall who would report to the chief administrative officer. Previously, five directors reported to the chief administrative officer.

Here's a recap of the staff changes since then:

• Sandra Clancy, who'd been the city treasurer, was promoted to CAO in May 2018 (to be replaced by Freymond).

• Allan Seabrooke, who'd been CAO prior to May 2018, took the job of community services commissioner (community services director Ken Doherty had retired).

•Earlier this month, Seabrooke quit to take a job as city manager for the city of Red Deer, Alta. (leaving a job vacancy at Peterborough city hall).

• Patricia Lester, the commissioner of corporate and legislative services, departed from her job in February (the city never told the public whether she quit or was fired - she was replaced by Freymond).

•Cynthia Fletcher, the commissioner of infrastructure and planning services, started her job in January after director of public works Wayne Jackson retired in December.

• Jeffrey Humble, the planning director, quit and moved to China in February. He wasn't replaced because the director jobs were eliminated in the staff reorganization.

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joelle.kovach

@peterboroughdaily.com