"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Monday 20 December 2010

Some Answers But Nix On Clarity

In the Dark has left a new comment on your post "The Reported Out Motion":

Councillors voted to take any and whatever action necessary to resolve "the matter"

Is this documented in the official record ?
Are there minutes of these in camera discussions?
Would the Town not be in a strong position to recover their losses associated with this illegal law suit?
How do you explain why three members of this council would vote against simply receiving this memo?
Your information begs far too many questions with very few answers , hopefully this picture becomes much more clear and soon , this mess needs to be explained !!!!

***********

A record is kept of in-camera decisions. It is confidential, sparse and resides in the Clerk's office. Councillors can view the record under the Clerk's supervision. Nothing can be removed from the Clerk's keeping.

A comment appeared on the Aurora Citizen blog on the afternoon of September 14th and was circulated at the table prior to the Council meeting that night.

So far as I am concerned, criticism of a politician by a member of the public, is not the business of the corporation. The comment had no business being added to the in-camera agenda. It was done on the direction of she who was criticized and must always be obeyed.

I did not attend the in camera session. It was already past the hour of adjournment.
As it turned out, the meeting continued until 1.10a.m. It was a meeting held after registration for nominations had closed,the election was underway, at a time when principle demands no substantive business of the municipality be conducted at the end of the term when the incumbent Council in the process of being held accountable.

During the meeting, a resolution was passed directing staff to retain external legal counsel and take any and all measures to resolve this matter.That decision was reported out at 1.l1a.m. Councillor McRoberts was in the chair,the Mayor having left the Council chamber at 1.10a.m.

It appears no report had been submitted to Council citing legislative authority to retain legal counsel to deal with a matter of this nature. Not surprising, since the comment had appeared on the blog that afternoon, was circulated at the Council table that evening and direction given to add it to the in-camera agenda at that moment in time.

On December 14th,on a motion to receive in open Council,three Councillors voted in opposition. Until they did, no hint of their intention was received and therefore no explanation.

Solicitor/client privilege, refers to the right of confidentiality between solicitor and client. The privilege can be waived by Council. Effectively allowing legal recommendations to be made available for public viewing.

I think, if town interest is not negatively affected, we should do it more often than we do. We didn't do it this time either.

No comments: