Staycation in Quesnel

As is my practice - whenever I go to Quesnel for their City Council meeting, I will stay overnight to take in the sights of Quesnel including their lovely Fraser River foot bridge and the local River Trail

I knew that this would be a different trip when I arrived in Quesnel and there were 4 people with Sushil Thapar supporter signs saying "Don't bully Sushil", "Reinstate Thapar", and "Thapar is Right!" on Kinchant Street and St. Laurent at 6:20pm.  By the time last night's Quesnel Council began at 7:00pm - the protestor numbers had grown to about 20 and Quesnel's Mayor had asked the signs to be removed from Quesnel Council Chambers...

The meeting began with a 1 minute silence for workers who died on the job and a invocation (Opening Prayer) lead by Quesnel Councillor L-A Roodenburg which drew on inspirational statements by Alexander Graham Bell.  But then Quesnel Councillor Sushil Thapar attempted to have statements from the July 16th meeting (3rd censure/restriction motion) included in the minutes.  Both Quesnel Mayor Sjostrom & City of Quesnel Deputy City Manager Gina Albers reminded him politely that Council Meeting Minutes are not "verbatim" and the minutes summarize Council actions/resolutions at a meeting

Later in the meeting during consideration of a Development Permit for a new "Dollar Tree" store - Councillor Thapar began to make comments around local Quesnel developer Victor Newman which then led Mayor Sjostrom to strongly caution Thapar to be very judicious in his choices of words around Mr. Newman...

Towards the end of the meeting during consideration of a request to permit Councillor Thapar to attend this year's UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) - Councillor Mike Cave proposed that the decision be deferred to the next meeting of Quesnel Council on Aug 20th as he wasn't ready to make a decision.  Council approved Councillor Cave's motion.  For myself - I was surprised Council didn't ask Councillor Cave to further explain why he wasn't ready to make a decision.  The money is budgeted so a decision to permit Councillor Thapar could have been made at that meeting

Finally - at the end of the meeting.  Quesnel Councillor Mike Cave was quite upset that his colleague, Councillor Thapar, suggested on his Facebook page that Cave didn't own property in the City of Quesnel which led Cave to bring out his property tax bill to show that he did indeed own property in the City of Quesnel and Cave further challenged Thapar to get his facts straight before make commentary on Facebook or elsewhere.  The whole issue related to the recent CKPG video in regards to the 3rd Censure of Thapar.  For the record, - Thapar, on his Facebook page, said:

here is another record for Quesnel council They have way more in camera meeting under mayor Sjostorm than any other Mayor. Burning of tax payers dollar took a new level under Mayor Sjostorm in last two month when everything goes through tax payers will be looking at bill of couple hundred thousands dollar. Four council members Scott Elliott, Laurey Roodenberg,Mike Cave and John Briscoe owns no property in CITY OF QUESNEL. Regardless how much money get burned has no effect on these council members. They are still paid from Quesnel Tax Payers. Read MS. Wild's letter to editor in Quesnel Observer July 20 th 2012 Page A9.

Then Councillor Thapar made mention of a Prince George Citizen story where a former Burns Lake mill manager received $809,221.06 for punitive and compensatory damages for being improperly dismissed from his job.  Read the story here.  Without mentioning the name Muriel Wild - this was Thapar's way of warning Quesnel taxpayers' how much they might be up for if Ms. Wild's case goes to court... I was surprised that Mayor Sjostrom didn't attempt to intervene and suggest that he stay away from making any comments, either directly or indirectly, around dismissed muncipal employees

Meanwhile - QuesnelNews.com reports on the Sushil Thapar supporters including commenting that Councillor Elliot took pictures even though he was asked not to do so... I can't believe that he would continue to take pictures of individuals supporting Thapar after being asked not to do so.... In addition, they also ask if those who don't own property in a municipality or live outside the municpality should be allowed to hold elected office.  Note - this issue was also discussed in Williams Lake and yet people like Sue Zacharias and Geoff Bourdon were easily returned to office last November.  Also - The Rush/The Wolf also reports on the Sushil Thapar supporter rally here

After the meeting adjourned -- I got an opportunity to meet Quesnel Councillors' Scott Elliot and Ed Coleman.  Very nice Councillors... :) and got to catch-up with my good friend Councillor Roodenburg on the local pool issue in Williams Lake.  And then went for a walk in downtown Quesnel, the Fraser River Foot Bridge and Riverside Trail....

All in all - a very good evening and look forward to my next overnight trip to Quesnel :D

SBF