There was an interesting sidebar as the lawyers would say, out of the most recent Prince Rupert City Council meeting.
Last Monday’s session at City Hall, provided for the usual questions from the public session, in which regular council inquisitor Larry Golden took advantage of the participatory form of local democracy to ask a few questions and it would seem maybe do a little fishing for information.
Of much importance and mystery last Monday it would seem, was the absence of Douglas Jay the Corporate Administrator. During the course of his questions Golden seemed to suggest that Michael Curnes had been selected to replace Mr. Jay, a suggestion that the Mayor turned aside by stating that Mr. Curnes was filling in as the Acting City Manager for the night (that would be Mr. Gord Howies position) and not as a replacement for Mr. Jay.
The absence of the two regular council staff participants plus the City’s Financial Officer Dan Rodin probably provides more than enough mystery on its own and besides leaving a few raised eyebrows, left the city to scramble for some warm bodies to fill in the required holes on the staff side of the council table, which seemed rather short of senior officials last week.
Regardless of the reasons for the absence of both Mr. Jay and Mr. Howie (and Mr. Rodin for that matter), they were never revealed during the public session, which as it evolved and was reported on in the city's own minutes, seems to have left more questions than a Question and answer session should have.
The mystery may prove to be an ongoing situation now and one that feeds the always ready to rumble rumour mill. No doubt it will also have many watching closely over the next few weeks, just to see if anything else might develop from that simple question from the public session.
In particular Podunkians will be watching the staff attendance list and waiting to see if there may be a bigger story to tell than just the “honest and open election” of an elections officer for the City of Prince Rupert and the deflection of some questions from the public…
From the council minutes, the transcript of the Golden/Pond exchange…
QUESTION PERIOD FROM THE PUBLIC
Prince Rupert City council meeting
MONDAY, May 26, 2008
Mr. Larry Golden asked for clarifications around the following observations and
questions: Why the Appointment of an Elections Officer was deferred from the
previous council meeting agenda; why the city found it necessary to advertise
externally for an election officer when it seemed to him that Michael Curnes had been
selected to replace Douglas Jay and could therefore acquire the training to serve as an
Elections Officer; and whether it was a conflict of interest for potential applicants for
this position to submit application to the City Manager given that a potential
contractor could be the City Manager’s wife.
Mayor Pond responded that Mr. Curnes was attending the meeting as the Acting City
Manager and not as a replacement for Douglas Jay and that Ms. Cameron was
attending the meeting to take the minutes.
In response to the questions concerning the Elections Officer, Mayor Pond responded
that the running of elections is a serge piece of work and ideal for a contractor and
that the process of selecting an Elections Officer will be an honest and open one.
Last Monday’s session at City Hall, provided for the usual questions from the public session, in which regular council inquisitor Larry Golden took advantage of the participatory form of local democracy to ask a few questions and it would seem maybe do a little fishing for information.
Of much importance and mystery last Monday it would seem, was the absence of Douglas Jay the Corporate Administrator. During the course of his questions Golden seemed to suggest that Michael Curnes had been selected to replace Mr. Jay, a suggestion that the Mayor turned aside by stating that Mr. Curnes was filling in as the Acting City Manager for the night (that would be Mr. Gord Howies position) and not as a replacement for Mr. Jay.
The absence of the two regular council staff participants plus the City’s Financial Officer Dan Rodin probably provides more than enough mystery on its own and besides leaving a few raised eyebrows, left the city to scramble for some warm bodies to fill in the required holes on the staff side of the council table, which seemed rather short of senior officials last week.
Regardless of the reasons for the absence of both Mr. Jay and Mr. Howie (and Mr. Rodin for that matter), they were never revealed during the public session, which as it evolved and was reported on in the city's own minutes, seems to have left more questions than a Question and answer session should have.
The mystery may prove to be an ongoing situation now and one that feeds the always ready to rumble rumour mill. No doubt it will also have many watching closely over the next few weeks, just to see if anything else might develop from that simple question from the public session.
In particular Podunkians will be watching the staff attendance list and waiting to see if there may be a bigger story to tell than just the “honest and open election” of an elections officer for the City of Prince Rupert and the deflection of some questions from the public…
From the council minutes, the transcript of the Golden/Pond exchange…
QUESTION PERIOD FROM THE PUBLIC
Prince Rupert City council meeting
MONDAY, May 26, 2008
Mr. Larry Golden asked for clarifications around the following observations and
questions: Why the Appointment of an Elections Officer was deferred from the
previous council meeting agenda; why the city found it necessary to advertise
externally for an election officer when it seemed to him that Michael Curnes had been
selected to replace Douglas Jay and could therefore acquire the training to serve as an
Elections Officer; and whether it was a conflict of interest for potential applicants for
this position to submit application to the City Manager given that a potential
contractor could be the City Manager’s wife.
Mayor Pond responded that Mr. Curnes was attending the meeting as the Acting City
Manager and not as a replacement for Douglas Jay and that Ms. Cameron was
attending the meeting to take the minutes.
In response to the questions concerning the Elections Officer, Mayor Pond responded
that the running of elections is a serge piece of work and ideal for a contractor and
that the process of selecting an Elections Officer will be an honest and open one.
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