Communications

I received a number  since starting this Blog  assuring me of my right to free speech while at the same time taking exception to something I said. My course  was to acknowledge receipt  and forward to my solicitor.

On one occasion  I noted as an  elected official, I am also responsible to let people know what I know  in the course of being their representative.

I had several venues, The Blog was new but I took to it like a duck to water. I wrote  letters to the editor and I participated in debate.

Roadblocks were a regular occurrence

My letters to the editor were tacked on to the end of Council agendas for  Mayor and Councillors  to  have at me. Blogs,letters and comments in debate, were "investigated" by a lawyer at taxpayers'  expense. Anything said  that didn't sit well with one or other of the gang of six ,would be interrupted by a point of order. 

The last Council meeting was no different.
 
A Special Meeting was called for the purpose of dealing with a request for an election recount.
All that was needed  was  for the meeting to be convened,  agenda  approved,  resolution  directing  a recount   be tabled, debate if  any, vote called, confirming bylaw passed and meeting adjourned.

Instead we had  a resolution to  suspend the procedure bylaw to permit public forum be added to the agenda.

Two separate parties advanced to the microphone, with papers and  prepared questions for   the Elections Officer  insinuating  the election had not gone smoothly.

Opening salvo from non-elected parties was followed by a series of questions from the elected which continued for  more than twenty minutes without a motion on the table.

After  seemingly aimless meandering, a motion  was tabled  to direct a re-count be held with further direction  as to how it should be held.

An element  of  fantasy crept into the proceedings at that point.

Explanations from  the Clerk and Town Solicitor, failed to convince that permitting candidates to  be involved in designing a recount format or an election is not the best way to conduct an election.

Precise Readings from the Elections Act were not  accepted

The meeting came to an impasse with the Statutory Officer,  who is the Elections Officer  and  the Town Solicitor and  the losing candidates in the election staring at each other across the table.

Somewhere in the mix,  I had the floor and  made  the observation,  the meeting appeared to have  been  preorchestrated. An immediate outraged point of order, demand for withdrawal  of the "allegation" was favourably ruled upon and an order made for an apology on pain of expulsion from the Council  Chamber by virtue of disruption of proceedings.

Failure of same to ensue resulted in a fifteen minute disruption of council proceedings.

Also, at another point , was an order to the Town Solicitor to "Clear The Chamber."

That didn't happen either.

A motion was eventually approved for a re-count with further direction from Council that Section 615A of the Municipal  Elections Act be upheld.

As if it might not be otherwise. 

The recount will happen on November 16th  at 9 a.m. in the Council Chamber

A final Council meeting will be held on November 23rd. The agenda is not yet prepared.

This much is certain.  No hiring or firing can take place. No spending in excess of $50Ks by the outgoing Council