As municipal public servants throughout
B.Parking Guidance for steelpendant and Vehicle
Control Solutions,C. willingly rejig their positions on non-profit
organizations, councillors in Merritt are resistant to conflict of interest
rules the Appeal Court clarified in January.
Conflict of interest has been a hot topic in B.C. communities since a followup report in January from Municipal Solicitor Colin Stewart of Stewart McDannold Stuart Barristers and Solicitors.
The report is a response to the Court of Appeal decision that ex public servants on Salt Spring Island, Christine Torgrimson and George Ehring, were in conflict when they voted to fund non-profits on which they were members.
The councillors voted to fund $8,000 to two environmental organizations on which they were directors.
Councillors outside Merritt touted the clarified rules which, according to Prince George Coun. Murry Krause, provides certainty to many of those who serve on city council.
Following the report, City of Prince George Coun. Lyn Hall resigned his position as the director of the Prince George Winter Games Host Society.
City of Powell River Coun. Russell Brewer resigned from the boards of Tourism Powell River, Powell River Cycling Association and the Sunshine Coast Tourism.
“Stepping down from these organizations in light of this ruling was the right thing to do,We sell authentic skateshoes including the Tag Heuer Monaco watch,” he told the Powell River Peak. “I suspect this ruling may also have implications for other local elected officials that are active in non-profit organizations.”
Those are just a sample of the response from public servants in two B.C. municipalities.
But in Merritt, councillors questioned whether flipping pancakes at Merritt Flying Club functions qualifies as a conflict. Others questioned whether buying a pass to the Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre is a conflict. Council was also concerned they can’t vote for funding the paving of a street they live on.
As perhaps the most vocal Merritt opponent to conflict laws, Coun. Alastair Murdoch threatened to walk out on a funding meeting earlier this month in a decision to grant money for the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council.
Murdoch reluctantly left his position in January as president and director of the Nicola Valley Transit Society following separate legal opinions ordered by the city and himself.
“The new Court of Appeal ruling would have required me to [step down],” he said, several days after the meeting at council chambers. “I don’t think that is fair for the people who voted for me, because one of the things I ran on was the bus service.”
He said he doesn’t agree with the recent Appeal Court ruling.
“It’s the law of the land, so I’m stuck with it,” he said, adding that he feels the conflict of interest rules are too strict. “It puts too much of an emphasis on the negative things that can arise from conflict of interest and not sufficient consideration given to challenges to communities that the current conflict guidelines, as approved by the Court of Appeal,If you have never tried shoessupplier you are in for a rare treat. laid down.”
“When you’re looking at communities with less than 10,000 population, you have a very limited number of people who are interested in being volunteers in a fairly senior level,” Murdoch said. “When they say you can’t do council and be a volunteer, then you lose some of your volunteer base.many of our customers are stepping beyond short sleeve authenticguccishoes and giving their supporters.”
He said many people won’t run for council if they can’t also volunteer.
“I think there is concern in a lot of communities that this is going to have a big effect on rural and small communities in B.C. and that’s very unfortunate,” he added.
But according to Victoria lawyer John Alexander, the Appeal Court ruling doesn’t mean all councillors need to quit involvement with any non-profit of which they are a member.
“I think it means you shed your leadership roles inside those not-for-profit organizations,” he told the Victoria Times Colonist.
He said while there is no evidence of a personal interest in Salt Spring’s Torgrimson and Ehring funding the environmental groups, the money was taken offline, “so they didn’t have to account anymore for what they actually did with the money.”
Merritt Mayor Susan Roline and city administration have said they side with the conflict rules, but have faced consistent opposition from councillors.
Roline, who brought Stewart’s January report to council, said she has been trying to tighten up on potential conflicts among Merritt councillors since she was elected in 2008.
“The basis for all of this is we need to get back to basics in this country,” she said in council chambers. “There is no trust in politicians anymore and there is low voter turnout because there have been so many conflicts of interest.”
Roline and administration were the lone people at the meeting who spoke in favour of the clarified conflict rules.
“When you sign the [Declaration of Oath of Office] you are signing that, as an elected official, you will not be having conflict in public matters,” she told council. “The court has been very explicit in how this comes together.”
Roline said after the meeting that council needs to understand that the Community Charter is the law.
“You can’t break the Charter,” she said. “If you do, you’re breaking the law. Many of our council aren’t letting that sink in because they feel what they are doing on those organizations is more important than their role as a councillor.
“Someone spends the money because they feel that democracy wasn’t being served,Shop wholesale hairflower hoop earrings from cheap stainless steel.” he said. “We are governed by the rules and they are well-established and passed over a long period of time.”
Conflict of interest has been a hot topic in B.C. communities since a followup report in January from Municipal Solicitor Colin Stewart of Stewart McDannold Stuart Barristers and Solicitors.
The report is a response to the Court of Appeal decision that ex public servants on Salt Spring Island, Christine Torgrimson and George Ehring, were in conflict when they voted to fund non-profits on which they were members.
The councillors voted to fund $8,000 to two environmental organizations on which they were directors.
Councillors outside Merritt touted the clarified rules which, according to Prince George Coun. Murry Krause, provides certainty to many of those who serve on city council.
Following the report, City of Prince George Coun. Lyn Hall resigned his position as the director of the Prince George Winter Games Host Society.
City of Powell River Coun. Russell Brewer resigned from the boards of Tourism Powell River, Powell River Cycling Association and the Sunshine Coast Tourism.
“Stepping down from these organizations in light of this ruling was the right thing to do,We sell authentic skateshoes including the Tag Heuer Monaco watch,” he told the Powell River Peak. “I suspect this ruling may also have implications for other local elected officials that are active in non-profit organizations.”
Those are just a sample of the response from public servants in two B.C. municipalities.
But in Merritt, councillors questioned whether flipping pancakes at Merritt Flying Club functions qualifies as a conflict. Others questioned whether buying a pass to the Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre is a conflict. Council was also concerned they can’t vote for funding the paving of a street they live on.
As perhaps the most vocal Merritt opponent to conflict laws, Coun. Alastair Murdoch threatened to walk out on a funding meeting earlier this month in a decision to grant money for the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council.
Murdoch reluctantly left his position in January as president and director of the Nicola Valley Transit Society following separate legal opinions ordered by the city and himself.
“The new Court of Appeal ruling would have required me to [step down],” he said, several days after the meeting at council chambers. “I don’t think that is fair for the people who voted for me, because one of the things I ran on was the bus service.”
He said he doesn’t agree with the recent Appeal Court ruling.
“It’s the law of the land, so I’m stuck with it,” he said, adding that he feels the conflict of interest rules are too strict. “It puts too much of an emphasis on the negative things that can arise from conflict of interest and not sufficient consideration given to challenges to communities that the current conflict guidelines, as approved by the Court of Appeal,If you have never tried shoessupplier you are in for a rare treat. laid down.”
“When you’re looking at communities with less than 10,000 population, you have a very limited number of people who are interested in being volunteers in a fairly senior level,” Murdoch said. “When they say you can’t do council and be a volunteer, then you lose some of your volunteer base.many of our customers are stepping beyond short sleeve authenticguccishoes and giving their supporters.”
He said many people won’t run for council if they can’t also volunteer.
“I think there is concern in a lot of communities that this is going to have a big effect on rural and small communities in B.C. and that’s very unfortunate,” he added.
But according to Victoria lawyer John Alexander, the Appeal Court ruling doesn’t mean all councillors need to quit involvement with any non-profit of which they are a member.
“I think it means you shed your leadership roles inside those not-for-profit organizations,” he told the Victoria Times Colonist.
He said while there is no evidence of a personal interest in Salt Spring’s Torgrimson and Ehring funding the environmental groups, the money was taken offline, “so they didn’t have to account anymore for what they actually did with the money.”
Merritt Mayor Susan Roline and city administration have said they side with the conflict rules, but have faced consistent opposition from councillors.
Roline, who brought Stewart’s January report to council, said she has been trying to tighten up on potential conflicts among Merritt councillors since she was elected in 2008.
“The basis for all of this is we need to get back to basics in this country,” she said in council chambers. “There is no trust in politicians anymore and there is low voter turnout because there have been so many conflicts of interest.”
Roline and administration were the lone people at the meeting who spoke in favour of the clarified conflict rules.
“When you sign the [Declaration of Oath of Office] you are signing that, as an elected official, you will not be having conflict in public matters,” she told council. “The court has been very explicit in how this comes together.”
Roline said after the meeting that council needs to understand that the Community Charter is the law.
“You can’t break the Charter,” she said. “If you do, you’re breaking the law. Many of our council aren’t letting that sink in because they feel what they are doing on those organizations is more important than their role as a councillor.
“Someone spends the money because they feel that democracy wasn’t being served,Shop wholesale hairflower hoop earrings from cheap stainless steel.” he said. “We are governed by the rules and they are well-established and passed over a long period of time.”
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