Monday, March 24, 2014

CONFLICT OF INTEREST - UPDATED

UPDATE: Port Dalhousie development "deferred' meaning: dead. Wonder what will happen to the corpse of what was once a thriving business and tourism destination. Sad that a development can cause such angst in a community. It happens when elected officials do not listen to the people. 



No, not the one brought forth by Tinfoilhat Whitfield. We're still waiting for some kind a of decision regarding that. 

I'm talking about Conflict of Interest as practiced by Ward 1 Councillor Stephen Passero. Saw it on TV the other day. Sat there, bold as ever, and voted on a resolution that directly affected him involving a pecuniary interest.


Re: Confirmation of Attendance - Councillor Passero - February 23-26, 2014


According to Passero, the reason that he did not bring a request forward in advance for compensation for attending the Good Roads Conference held in Toronto was because he had gone to the same conference three years earlier and did not have to get pre-authorization. (Please file that excuse along side "The Dog Ate My Homework" in the Lame Excuses File.)

Seriously, Eddie Haskell. Can't you come up with anything better than that? Of course the "blame" was ultimately set at the feet of town clerk Carolyn Kett who was not in attendance on March 17 to defend, explain or even answer questions regarding the issue.

After some discussion where Mayor Martin tried to muzzle Don Lubberts who asked a couple of pertinent questions, a vote was taken and Stephen Passero voted in favour of confirming his attendance at the conference which included expenses of over $1500. Nice one, Stephen. You really are mayoral material, that is, if mayors make it part of their agenda to vote retroactively to pay their expenses.  

Cause that's what you did, Stephen Passero. A new councillor might not realize that it was necessary to request expenses be paid, but a three years' experience, mayoral wannabe? Oh, I know that there is some little loophole you managed to slither through, but the episode points up something far more insidious. You really are a tool.


Editor's Note:  Just listened to council audio. Meeting lasted about forty minutes with a time-out for a Closed Session. Tom Kuchyt will be acting CAO for a year. Resolution carried. It appears that the council approves of the job that Kuchyt is doing. That is a very good sign. 

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