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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-03-21, Page 14Four councillors walk out at Bluewater session Bluewater has yet to form committees Vanessa Brown Clinton News Record Citing a lack of transparency with the mayor's committee and board recom- mendations, four Bluewater councillors walked out of last Thursday's council meeting, effectively ending the session. The day's agenda had called for a dis- cussion on the Bayfield library's recon- struction project and the municipality's committee and board appointments. Councillors Geordie Paltnei Tyler 'Jesse!, John Gillespie and Kay Wise expressed concern that Mayor Bill Dowson would include committee appointments on the agenda without all 10 council members present. Coun. George Irvin was absent from Thursday's afternoon meeting. Coun. Irvin had voted against approving Dowson's recommendations at Bluewater's budget meeting on March 25. In Coun. Irvin's absence, the agenda was approved to hold a discussion on all of Dowson's committee recommendations. "'This is not transparent at all, and 1 am totally not supporting it; said Coun. Hes- sel, referring to the agenda. "It's outrageous." When the time cane to discuss which councillors would be appointed to which committees and boards, Couns. Palmer, Hessel, Gillespie and Wise left the building. "If the issue was simply the tri -munici- pal committee and we were voting on that, that would be fine," Coun. Gillespie explained. "But when it's focused on all of the committees, and not all of council is here, 1 will not participate in that process." Thursday's infighting was the fourth time Dowson's committee and board recommendations were in dispute. Last month, Dowson refused to hold a discussion on his board and committee appointments unless all 10 council members were present. Coups. Gillespie, Dowson says Bluewater is working on committees CONTINUED FROM < PAGE 1 construction to continence in the Spring of 2012" That motion was lost. As a result of the lost motion, a notice of motion was tabled for a future meeting of the Board stating: "That the Grand Bend Areas Sewage Treatment Board support the review of phasing the mechanical treatment plant construction and that this he considered at a future board meeting once all three parties are present.''lhis motion carried. As the meeting continued the next three agenda items; Certificate of APIU Val application, project tithing was deferred, final design and call for pre - qualification of tenders were all deferred due to Bluewater not being at the table. Robertson said they have a 1)ee. 31 dead- line to commit or decline and that it "was sneaking up 00 them." "This is a tight, tight timeline and the sooner we get to tender, the better,' he said, adding they need to know who is in and who is out. 'the next meeting is scheduled for April 18 at 10 a.m. at the Recreation (;entre in Exeter. Dowson told The Lakeshore Advance Bluewater will continue to work towards appointing someone to the committee, SARNIA LAMBTON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD GREEN ENERGY, AGRICULTURE & BIO -SCIENCE CAREER FAIR April 13 - 9:00 am to 6:30 pm April 14 - 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Clearwater Arena - Sarnia, Ontario FREE ADMISSION Speak with leaders in these fields and gain insightful information to guide your career decisions. (This is not a job fair, companies in attendance are not actively recruiting.) Sponsored by: Employment Ontario Bluewater Power lambton College Employment and Learning Centre Bullfrog Power lambton Federation of Agriculture Kent Federation of Agriculture Blolndustrial Innovation Centre Blackburn Radio Inc. Sustainable Chemistry Alliance The Observer This Employment Ontario project Is funded in part by the Government of Canada. Ii i t 111101 111,111011 Vltilt : WWW.(Ih.(11 t' Palmer and Wise urged Dowson to remain consistent in that stand. "You did promise us there would be a full council... At one time there were some councillors missing, and we didn't call the question," Coun. Wise said. "And we're holding you to that today." Dowson argued that it's not responsi- ble to the public to keep using that excuse. "We have finally reached a point... where we have to move forward," he said. "When 1 said we would not bring it up until we had a full table, we have ran out of time on that one. I can't keep using that one on the public... They're not accepting that." Dowson added that certain council- lors had previously told him they would accept his recommendations, but then carne to council meetings and voted against them. "Don't talk to me about someone not honouring their commitments," he said. "You told me you'd support it. And then all of a sudden you cannot follow your words four times, and it's yikdnixAtly, April 6, 2011, ! ,La g1cirp t1/404nce OK. No, it's not OK." As previously reported, Bluewater could not partici- pate in a Grand Bend and Area Sewage Treatment Board meeting last Friday morning. Dowson said Bluewater has about $600,000 tied up in the protect, and that the prospect of the tri -municipal project with South Huron and Lamb - ton Shores failing because his municipality cannot pass its comtnittee and board appoint- ments concerns him. Bayfleld library Project Before Councillors Palmer, Hessel, Wise and Gillespie left the meeting last Thursday, Brad Skinner, principal archi- tect at Skinner and Skinner Architects, led a discussion on the status of the Bayfield library construction project. To date, Bluewater council has approved Skinner to begin drawing a blueprint for the new library branch. The new building will be between 4,500 and 5,000 sq. ft. in size, Skinner said, with an estimated cost of $1.25 million. The tnunicipal- ity has applied for a $934,000 grant, but as of Friday that funding has not yet been approved. There is also around $500,000 in reserve funds for Bluewater's libraries and pub- lic washrootns, which would further offset the total cost. Council on Thursday directed Skinner to begin pre- paring preliminary drawings for a one -floor building that would accommodate a multi- purpose room to hold 30 peo- ple and a room for the post office roughly 11 X 11 ft. in size. Skinner was also advised to leave the archives building as itis. The next meeting on the Bayfield library project will be held in April. Ben� 022 i' My team is here to help! We have campaign offices located in Clinton, Goderich, Wingham & Port Elgin. Election day is May 2nd. Advance voting will take place Friday April 22nd, Saturday April 23rd and Monday April 25th. Ballots can be cast any day during the campaign at the Elections Canada Returning Office in Brussels or Ripley. For a ride to the polls, signs or assistance please call 1-855-244-5622. a 1 HERE FOR CANADA , c, riNYl.lr�tY` Ben 022 • • •ca 0 ! • 4 ( huronte1,onsca