Mayor Cook, WL Fire Hall and The Truth

Yesterday, Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook, in responding to Scott Nelson's desire to be Williams Lake's Mayor once again, suggested that the $528,000 in budget overruns were at the hands at Scott Nelson's Council

But before I begin "clarifying" some of the "half-truths" stated yesterday - let me demonstrate where I get my information so we all can see the information, unedited, for one's own eyes

Sources:

1) Find Mayor Cook's comments (re: Scott Nelson's Mayoralty Announcement) on the Rush website here
2) Jan 18th, 2011 Report from City's Director of Protective Services (local City of WL Fire Chief) Randy Isfeld on the cost overruns on the new Fire Hall (complete background given) - see here

Fact #1 - Yes, it is true - it was Scott Nelson's Council who approved the construction of a new Fire Hall

Fact #2 - Yes, it is true - it was Scott Nelson's Council who approved the $6.5 million budget for it, via "Counter-Petition" and it did pass the "Counter-Petition" or AAP (Alternative Approval Process stage (Editor's Note - For the purpose of disclosure - I voted against this project in the fall of 2008 as I felt at the time it was too rich of a fire hall for the times we found ourselves in and felt it should have been approved via direct referendum, given the 2008 General Local Government Election

Fact #3 - No, it is not true that the overspending for this project occured at the beginning of this project.  In fact - it is Mr. Isfeld who points out that from January to October 2009  - the project either was on time/on budget in February,April,May, July, September and October of 2009 with no reports submitted for the months of January, March, June and August of 2009 and it was revealed it was over the alloted amount of $6.5 million by November of 2009 - when Kerry Cook was Mayor and not Scott Nelson.  Please note - Mr. Isfeld notes in his report that excavating commencing in October of 2009, again Scott Nelson was not Mayor at that time, Kerry Cook was.  Finally - the Budget breakdown for this project indicates that the majority of the costs were completed in 2009/2010 - again on Kerry Cook's watch and not Scott Nelson's

Remember - The Truth Will Set You Free