Steve Rant - Outcome of March 9th WL Council Meeting

Two issues came out of the March 9th WL Council Meeting that I'd like to discuss today:

1) Conflict of Interest - Mayor Cook

From time to time, Mayor Cook has had the need to declare a conflict of interest on matters before Council. However, she doesn't always state the reasons why. Let's look at what the Community Charter says on this subject:

Section 100 (2) of the Community Charter says:

(2) If a council member attending a meeting considers that he or she is not entitled to participate in the discussion of a matter, or to vote on a question in respect of a matter, because the member has

(a) a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the matter, or

(b) another interest in the matter that constitutes a conflict of interest,

the member must declare this and state in general terms the reason why the member considers this to be the case.

I openly challenge Mayor Cook to remember this and practice this each and every time she has to declare a conflict of interest on any matter before Council

2) Williams Lake Council Motions

At the Feb 2nd, 2010 Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following motion was passed with Councillor Rathor opposed:

The report of Councillor Rathor dated January 27, 2010 regarding a Wood First Resolution be received and referred back to the Development and Public Works Portfolio for cost implications and further investigation; and further, a report be brought back to Council at the March 9, 2010 Regular Council Meeting.

CARRIED

As Councillor Rathor rightly pointed out last night, if Council is not prepared to adhere to its' motions, especially directives to both Staff/Portfolio then those motions became meaningless.

However, this is not the first time that directives of Council have not been adhered to. At the inaugural meeting of WL Council for the 2008-2011 term, the following motion was passed pertaining to Councillor Rathor's new title of Deputy Mayor:

Moved by Councillor Barr
Seconded by Councillor Zacharias:

That pursuant to the report of the Chief Administrative Officer dated November 20, 2008 and Sections 130 (1) and 130 (2) of the Community Charter, respectively, Councillor Rathor be appointed Deputy Mayor and the following Councillors be designated Acting Mayors for the 2009 calendar year:
January - Councillor Barr
February - Councillor Bourdon
March - Councillor Montoya
April - Councillor Walters
May - Councillor Zacharias
June - Councillor Barr
July - Councillor Bourdon
August - Councillor Montoya
September - Councillor Walters
October - Councillor Zacharias
November - Councillor Barr
December - Councillor Bourdon

and further, Staff be directed to make the necessary amendments to the City of Williams Lake Procedure Bylaw to reflect this change.

CARRIED

This motion has never been officially carried out. The above motion was passed on December 2nd, 2008 and today is March 10th, 2010.

So I really would encourage the Council of Williams Lake that when you pass motions, stick to them otherwise don't pass them if you don't intend to carry them out