However - in viewing the page this morning, I noticed the following picture that leaves me a little concerned and reminds me of what occured in 2005 when then-Williams Lake Mayoralty Candidate Deb DeMare included a picture of Alberto DeFeo (former WL CAO) in her campaign brochure:
From left to right: Brad McRae, Lilliana Dragowska, Sue Moxey, Danny Moxey and Kerry Cook
Now - while Mr. McRae and Sue/Danny Moxey have left the City of Williams Lake employ - I'm informed that Ms. Dragowska is currently on "stress leave" but still is in the City's payroll
Please note - In 2005 - the then-Chief Election Officer (Sue Moxey) had sent out a warning to all candidates in that local government election that Williams Lake City Staff do not officially support, in any way, candidates for Mayor or Councillor and that City Staff serve whoever is elected. This was the result of former Mayoralty candidate Deb DeMare including a picture of the then-City of WL Chief Administrative Officer Alberto DeFeo in her campaign brochure
Given this picture could give the impression that Ms. Dragowska is, in fact, supporting Kerry Cook for Mayor (re-election) and because of what the City was forced to do in similiar circumstances in the 2005 Civic Election - I will be writing to the City of Williams Lake's Chief Election Officer (Cindy Bouchard) requesting that she investigate this matter to see if, in fact, it breaches any local election law or local election practices and to take appropriate action, as she sees fit
I'll let you know when I get an answer from Ms. Bouchard on this matter
My intention is to ensure that City Staff don't get "roped" into the election but to just "sit on the sidelines" and observe while the candidates, like myself, do their thing and I'm sure City Staff look forward to working with whomever is elected on Saturday, November 19th, 2011
SBF
Update - Sept 24/2011 at 5:39pm
I have received an email from the City of WL's Chief Election Officer (C. Bouchard) thanking me for bringing this matter to her attention. Further - Kerry Cook's campaign team has now pulled the above photo from their "Re-Elect Kerry Cook for Mayor" Facebook page
SBF
6 comments:
So in all the three years that Kerry Cook has been a Mayor the picture which was pulled is the only one she had to put on her facebook. Funny how some of the people in the picture are those that have left the City in one form or another since Cook and Carruthers took the helm.
This seems quite unorthodox at best and down right sneaky at worst. That, to me speaks loudly of Kerry Cooks ethics and integrity. I do not support any of the candidates running for Mayor but have to say that of the three I support Kerry Cook the very least. She seems to think that the City of Williams Lake taxpayers are stupid or have no memory. The straw for me was the Firehall over spending and how she is trying to blame Scott Nelson. His government took the building to referendum on the borrowing which was approved by us taxpayers. It was her government that did not monitor City Hall closely to notice that the budget was indeed going over. To have an oversight committee meet once a week yet not demand on going reports (several months had no report submitted by the contractors), nor evaluate project work vs invoices submitted..this was a huge red flag on incompetence and yet we were all told to get over it.
Now to hear that the Economic Deveolpment branch of the City has been pretty much on hold since 2008 therefore we need to develope a Economic task Force is another waste of our money. Were we paying the EDO all this time? Why wait until just two months before the election to start up a task force...why not get the existing EDO to do their job? If they are not able to get the Task Force going in 2008, and dismantle the EDO.
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!POLITICAL POSTERING!!!!
Obviously this person can't read. The economic development CORPORATION has been inactive. How dare you suggest someone isn't doing their job?
Thanks for your comments...
Anonymous #2:
You are right - the person was likely referring to the Economic Development Corporation and not to the current Manager of Economic Development Alan Madrigga who has been working on whatever Ec Dev issues WL Council has directed him to do during this term
Having said that though - I think Anonymous #1's point was that, instead of using a Task Force to look at the new Business Expansion and Attraction Strategy - why not use the existing Economic Development Corporation Board to do the same thing and for that - I agree
Thank you it was explained in the Tribune that the EDC is for running a business, not advising council. I agree that's what it should be for. I'd love to see the city run a business and generate revenue
I'm not sure where you got the information that Ms. Dragowska is on 'stress leave' - doubt that the city would release that information if in fact it is true. What kind of leave she is on is really no one's business and I think you should remove this information as it is personal to an individual and casts a negative light on her. If you are elected to council you will need to work with staff so alienating them is probably not a great idea.
My apologies to the current EDO in my first post I indeed meant the Economic Development Office (Corporation).
That being said I am still suspicious of Kerry Cook's "announcement: on the Business Task Force...just think it was a sad attempt to con voters....why wasn't this done sooner in her tenure?
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