It was May 12th 2009, Sher St.Kits came to council with a written presentation containing a variety of unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations against a Councillor, demanding Council take action and declaring her intention to file a complaint against said Councillor.
The Town Solicitor attempted on two occasions to intervene and advise the matter was not for Council to deal with.
The Mayor persisted.
Ms St Kitts was requested to provide her written comments to staff. .
A resolution was presented to suspend the Procedure Bylaw to permit Ms St Kitts' comments made in the public forum, to form part of the formal record.
There was a bit of a kefuffle about the two thirds requirement for suspension of the Procedure Bylaw.
The Mayor dealt with that too. She simply found the vote to be two thirds and declared the motion passed.
Two weeks later,May 26th 2009, Ms St. Kitts comments did not appear in the minutes presented for approval.
The minutes were challenged.
A review was requested.
And denied.
Unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations and allegations accepted in a public forum against a Member of Council, by the Mayor , against advice of the solicitor, despite a formal resolution of Council directing they be included in the formal record, were not.
The Chief Administrative Officer reported to Council; the solicitor , himself and the Clerk had conferred and decided "to follow precedent' and not record the full comments.
In response to public outcry and demands for explanation, the observation was made, in colloquial terms; "the minutes were doctored"
May 11th, 2010 Council Meeting , minutes of the April 27th, 2010 meeting are before Council for approval.
111. Open Forum
Ms Walmer ( the Mayor's friend and campaign organizer) spoke.
No motion was passed to suspend Procedure to allow the comments to form part of the public record.
No kefuffle about what constitutes a two-thirds majority.
No conference necessary between the Chief Administrator, solicitor or Municipal Clerk.
Yet there they are .
Twenty four lines . Every word recorded. In paragraphs yet. As if provided in writing.
No precedent followed.
No synopsis created.
A year almost to the day.
For a complete turn around and contradiction.
Who says minutes are not doctored to suit exigencies?
Pshaw! Let the record show.
Sunday 9 May 2010
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2 comments:
Looks like the new clerk is now going to start recording comments under open forum even though Council has not traditionally done that. Consistancy is necessary so that everyone is on an even playing field. According to the Municipal Act, minutes of the proceedings are to be kept "without note or comment".
I tried to read tonight's agenda online through the town's website but the file is astronomically gigantic - so much so that my hi speed net connection said it was going to take nearly an hour to download. Please tell us why it's so large. Thank you!
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