The era of Alternative Facts may have taken root in McNab-Braeside; at least there appear to be unlimited scenarios for the same variables to present themselves at the Council Table.
At last evening’s Council Meeting what’s described occurred within Agenda Item 10.1, with discussion on a Motion to Disband the Public Finance and Administration Committee.
The accompanying background document, submitted by representative Lori Hoddinott June 5th (2024), offered the rationale that the body in question, in the Deputy Mayor’s opinion, had “failed to effectively or efficiently conduct and carry out municipal business with no reasonable expectation of accomplishing it’s mandate in a timely and efficient manner…”
Following discussion, a majority of Council agreed. The motion passed three votes to two.
We can even name who was on what side, due to a recorded vote having been taken- although the meeting scribe might do well to verify that a “recorded vote”, under governing rules of order, ought to be requested prior to the customary show of hands and held in lieu thereof, (unless the Township Procedural Bylaw specifies otherwise).
That aside, Deputy Mayor Hoddinott cited instances where quorum could not be met at Public Finance and Administration Committee sessions, unnecessarily prolonging business and wasting the staff time of the three members of Township Administration required to be there.
Mayor Mark MacKenzie regretted the potential loss of another forum wherein his views that accounting anomalies which he believes have occurred and possibly continue to happen, can no longer be discussed, although the majority of his peers are satisfied that issues first addressed in the Integrity Commissioner’s ruling against the Mayor (December 18th of 2023) have long been put to rest.
The Mayor maintains that without a Public Finance and Administration Committee, his perceptions of truth may never be corroborated at the full Council table during its current term.
By Rick Stow
