Or Should That Be Integrity Intrigue?
Near the end of the Special City Council Meeting last night some questions were raised about a $20,000 expense apparently Mayor McKay took on 'his own initiative'. Going just by memory I do recall something being said last year about the Mayor hiring a consultant (the amount I remember was $50,000) to help his council learn to 'get along'.
It appears that the Mayor hired this consultant on his own, without Council approval and after expending at least $20,000 the contract was cancelled by Council?
It was also revealed that our City Manager got a call from a provincial ministry making inquiries about this contract. The City Manager was clearly uncomfortable with council discussing this matter in an open meeting, but it does raise some interesting questions about what is actually going on behind closed doors during some of these infamous in-camera meetings.
During question period, Robert Fuller asked a question or two about this consulting contract and was told he would have to address his questions to Mayor McKay.
Those answers won't be addressed I assume until sometime next week when the Mayor is expected to return after being absent now from three consecutive meetings.
Porosity Of Council In-Camera Meetings Needs Addressing
Whoever is disclosing in-camera confidential information should be removed from office
This matter with a provincial minister phoning to inquire about a civic matter which was dealt with in-camera, and also the apparent release some time ago of information designed to cast a shadow on the hiring of our interim city manager; needs to be dealt with and those responsible held to account.
You might recall that two Councillors were going to make a public apology for disclosing in-camera information with regards the hiring of interim City Manager Tracy Samra. At that council meeting, Councillor Thorpe made his apology and the expected apology from Councillor Brennan was not forthcoming with the Mayor saying Brennan was seeking legal advice and would make her statement at the next council meeting.
That statement has not been forthcoming which would lead one to assume that she is no longer willing to apologize for disclosing in-camera information to local businessman Don Bonner.
Bonner along with someone named Shaunna Morgan have been relentless in a social media campaign to cast doubt on the hiring process which saw Samra offered the position of interim city manager. Morgan appeared before Council asking them to conduct an investigation into the hiring of Samra and also asking for a provincial minister to oversee the hiring of a permanent city manager. She claims to be just a concerned taxpayer who wants to be assured the best person is hired for the job and said she did not have confidence in this council to complete the task, hence requesting third party oversight. When asked if her concern for the recent appointments at the RDN were of equal concern, she didn't seem to know what Councillors were asking her.
Both she and Bonner seem to have little concern for the confidence-shattering actions of Councillors who will disclose confidential information apparently because they were at odds with a decision made by the majority of Council.
Acting Mayor Kipp responding to some of Morgan's claims about the hiring process said they had received four legal opinions, three in writing declaring the hiring process was not flawed as Morgan was claiming.