There are a few Centre Wellington councillors who believe they are not getting all the facts to make informed choices at the council table.
On March 29, councillors Steve Kitras and Fred Morris made comments regarding the agreement to reform the Jack R. MacDonald Charitable Trust.
Kitras questioned the process behind the change to the charitable trust. He said, according to information presented at the previous week’s meeting “staff had known about this for a year and I just was wondering why the councillors were not informed.”
CAO Andy Goldie said the township was asked to keep the information confidential by the bank/trust regarding any of the negotiations.
He added that as mentioned at the previous meeting, under the Municipal Act this was not something that could be reported to councillors in closed session.
“Therefore the only reporting we could do was in a public meeting – which the trust and the family requested not to happen,” said Goldie.
He added negotiations included four other organizations in the United States that were also keeping the information in confidence until the negotiations were finalized.
“We wished there had been a means by which it could have been reported to council, but this type of financial information is not covered under the Municipal Act (to be reported on during a closed session),” said Goldie.
Morris said he still intends to vote to ratify council’s decision, directing the funds to rebuild the Victoria Street bridge in Elora.
However, he also wanted to clarify concerns he raised at the previous meeting.
“I am sensing a trend that is developing ever since the election … staff is no longer giving us options to consider when we are making our decisions,” said Morris. “I think we are starting to go down a path where staff is giving instructions to council – not options.
“Last week was yet another example where we were only given one option to choose. I think that is a dangerous policy to pursue for the duration of this term.”
Goldie agreed the report came forward with one recommendation, “but there were two options – to continue with the annual payments of $25,000 or, as a result of the negotiations, accept the one-time payment.”
Staff’s recommendation was to move forward with the one-time payment.
Morris recognized the options were to accept the staff recommendation or not, but “in terms of what to do with the funds … we were given instructions … not options.”
Mayor Kelly Linton contended “we had a vote and we had a fulsome discussion. Another option could have been discussed at that time.”
