Welcome to the NivlacPortal

Not Just Your Regular Morning Coffee Flavours

SAVORY SITES WITH A HINT OF PROGRESSIVE EDGE THAT GOES WELL WITH A CUP OF JAVA

FIRST CUP
The Tyee
Salt Spring News
Georgia Straight
Vive le Canada
Rabble

SECOND CUP WITH LIGHT CREAM
M onday Magazine
P ublic Eye Online
S even oaks
24 Hours
Topix Vancouver
V ancouver Courier
Vancouver Rambling

LOCAL INFO WEBSITES
e-Prince Rupert
NDP Northcoast
Hacking The Mainframe
A Town Called Podunk

NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL & BC NEWS
The Globe & Mail
Salt Spring News
The Tyee
Canoe
CBC
CNN

REGIONAL NEWS LINKS
Terrace Standard
Vanderhoof Express Northern Sentinel
PG Free Press
Smithers Interior

SUBSCRIPTION BC NEWS LINKS
V ancouver Province
V ancouver Sun
Victoria T mes colonist

PRINCE RUPERT LINKS
Library
Performing Arts Centre
Prince Rupert City Hall
Port Authority
Tourism
City Guide

SELF HELP LINKS
PovNet
Vacant
Vacant

SPORTS NEWS LINKS
CTV
CBC
SPORTSNET
TSN
HOCKEY NEWS

Summer is over .... look out here come the elections

In the News

Rupert & Around The Northwest

Friday January 02, 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 11, 2008

Prince Rupert Council launches legal review of controversial hiring of the wife of the city manager

Black Eye Leaves Voters Stunned

Prince Rupert citizens woke up this morning once again feeling a little sorer than how they felt after the latest meeting of Council on Monday evening.

Ironically with only a few days to go before officially reaching summers end and after another lackluster summer with weather not fit for any vacation, it should not surprise us that the latest controversy involving our elected representatives and city officials at City Hall has now captured the imagination of Prince Rupert.

People are in shock and disbelief that just prior to an upcoming fall election something like this would happen.

Monday's regular Council meeting had a group identifying themselves as concerned citizens of Prince Rupert given the recognition as a delegation and the opportunity to make a presentation laying out their issues before council. This group had earlier in the week met with several counselors in an attempt to address concerns that they had. Confirmation of the earlier meeting came from those counselors who were present (Briglio, Cote, and Kinney). They indicated it would be more appropriate that this concerned group come before Council and address their concerns at the next regular meeting.

By the time the standing room only crowd had arrived in Council Chambers many city residents were already aware of much of what might be coming in this group's presentation. Previous letters to the editor and coverage by CBC and local media along with local Internet sources such as Hacking-The-Mainframe and A Town Called Podunk blog had already focused on this issue.

The concerned citizens group represented by Ms. Anna Ashley, Mr. Wilf Rimmer, and Ms. Gina Garon. The group was led by spokesperson Ms. Ashley whom articulated their concerns over what they felt were in the improprieties of tendering contracts over the $25,000 value. They stated that guidelines within city bylaws and those necessary processes that are required to be in compliance within the community Charter act had not taken place.

They further cited a conflict of interest had taken place when Mayor Pond who they assert did not have any authority to sign contracts, signed off on the hiring of the City manager’ wife Ms. Tanalee Hesse and that the City manager Gordon Howie failed in his responsibility to provide proper leadership and direction in this matter.

Those leaving the meeting once the presentation was completed felt that there is a legitimate lack of openness on Council. Although Council professes that they work from guidelines established in the official community plan, along with an annual strategic plan and from the direction given through resolution of motions which are past and regular Council meetings it appears from the comments of those leaving from the gallery after the presentation that the citizens and Prince Rupert are getting anything but clarity and openness from this Council.

With these concerns yet to be resolved and now with a motion from Council to rectify the situation, it begs the question if it will uncover more issues that may raise additional doubts for resident voters prior to the upcoming municipal elections.

Voting citizens of Prince Rupert should now be encouraged to take a hard look at the campaign promises of the current Council from the last election. It's clear that citizens want things to be better, but certainly the citizen's trust is being challenged when this type of an event takes place. Voters should seriously consider being more engaged this November should they feel they deserve better individuals to represent the city and are tired of those that over hyped the possibilities and give poor clarity and results to the negatives facing our community.

Everyone can see our community is in need of repair and requires some strong will along with a sensible plan to deal with our infrastructural and economic needs. The pie-in-the-sky sales pitch delivered by leadership of this Council during the last campaign and throughout much of this term only divides the community when the realizations are greatly underachieved from this high dosage of false expectation without fundamentally sound solutions.

Our community like so many across the Northwest from Williams Lake to Prince Rupert excluding perhaps Fort St. John has seen a decline in economics and population during this last decade. Prince Rupert taxpayers have reached a level of dissatisfaction with many on the current Council and for some that includes the last two terms.

The current situation is not unlike the state of affairs in the United States and here in Canada federally. The electorate is looking for change and won't be looking for another three-year term of the same leadership, policies, and direction that we have endured the last two civic terms.

This dilemma that the Mayor, administration, and Council find themselves in now has provided another black eye to our community not only locally but across the country in the national press.

Counselor Thorkelson took the initial important first step by initiating a motion to look into several of concerned citizens’ points that were raised during the presentation. The motion was amended by councilor Briglio to include the information be prepared by independent sources.

Campaigning for this November's election ultimately has already begun.

Archive notes from 2005 election period.