The Daily News finally got around to catching up to their press releases, as they examined the latest missive from the concerned citizens, issued on September 24th.
As we revealed on Podunk over the weekend, the citizens group have not had their concerns assuaged by the handling of the issue by city council and management and have taken their concerns to upper levels of government in Victoria.
The Daily provided a forum for Wilf Rimmer of the citizens group to outline their plans in Tuesday’s paper.
'No bid' contract critics call for deeper probe
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Pages one and three
The informal group of Prince Rupert citizens that has lobbied council about the city's handling of Tanalee Hesse's contract has announced it has taken the complaint to three separate provincial government bodies.
In a press release forwarded to several B.C. media outlets, the group has said that it will seek investigations from the Ministry of Community Development, the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the B.C. Ombudsman office.
Wilf Rimmer, one of the members of the group said that the deep concern members have came from the alleged mismanagement of city hall by the current administration.
"It is not politically motivated. We have drawn people from all corners of the political spectrum that really would not be able to agree on anything other than this - believe me," said Rimmer.
The group originally asked the city to undertake an independent review of the circumstances surrounding the retention of the city manager’s wife on a ‘no bid’ contract, the value of the services performed, the reasons why the Community Charter apparently was not followed by city hall management and council, the manner in which freedom of information requests were handled and whether there has been interference by the mayor and city manager in the lawful performance of the Corporate Administrator under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
City council passed a motion on Sept. 8 ordering an investigation into the contract but the motion only asked the third-party investigator to advise council about how serious the alleged infractions were, who was responsible and what council was obligated to do.
Rimmer and Anna Ashley, the spokesperson for the group, said they are agitated about the way the investigation mandate was worded.
They claim it does not go far enough to answer their concerns.
“While the investigation is a step in the right direction, it does not address it to the degree that it needs to be addressed,” said Ashley.
Rimmer said that at the very least City Manager Gord Howie, who is Hesse’s husband, should have instructed council to move forward with a resolution on the contract so that it would appear above board.
To this date no resolution has been passed.
“Ken Cote and (Tony) Briglio told us at the initial meeting (in Breakers Pub) they were aware there was conflict of interest here and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out,” said Rimmer.
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