The Editor:
Re: New West mayor to get Community Charter training after breaching council’s Code of Conduct (Nov. 4, 2024)
The work of the council is to govern the city.
We appreciate that there is an Ethics Commissioner to review breaches to the code of conduct and provide expert evaluation and recommendations on how to proceed. This is important in accountability for the behaviour of elected officials.
However, it is a gross misuse of city funds to require multiple meetings (requested in the amendment by Coun. [Daniel] Fontaine) to drag out the proceedings to determine just how much punishment someone should receive and by what means.
These meetings are not free — we, the “ratepayers” (horrible name) as we are often referred to are on the hook for the staff time, the cost of the legal counsel and the fees of the ethics commissioner — all in the name of politicking, not in good governance.
We are aware that there are some splits on council; this has been made exceptionally clear over the past two years. But debating the recommendation of the city’s employed Ethics Commissioner to this level is punitive, personal, and purely for political gain. It’s tiresome and not what I want council and staff to be spending their time on.
What about the important work to be done on housing, local business, childcare issues, development, mental health, and the impending budget?
Surely, these issues should take precedence over the mistake someone made and the clear response from staff. I’m interested in knowing how much this “debate” has cost the city in legal fees and staff time.
To add to that, it adds unreasonable time and stress to the mayor, council, and staff to keep playing politics, which then impedes their ability for good decision-making when more important work is to be debated later in the day and sometimes late into the evening.
It is tiring and draining to stay focused and clear on complex issues as the day wears on, after having spent several hours "what if-ing" a situation instead of evaluating the facts.
The wasted staff time and resources likely is greater than the incremental costs incurred that were the violation of the code of conduct, however, there is no mechanism to demand that Coun. Fontaine repay the city and the ratepayers for his disregard and time-wasting of city resources.
This is not how I want to see my council working for our community — this is wasting precious time and completely degrading the process of doing good work.
It’s truly offensive and gives the impression of a public flogging.
Disgraceful.
- Emiliano Carrasco, New Westminster
