Warden, councillor disagree on Maieron letter

County councillor Lou Maieron and Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj continued to disagree about Maieron’s letter to the Premier and the Minister of Municipal Affairs that asked them to force Guelph and Well­ington County into a merger.

Ross-Zuj believes he cross­ed the line in terms of proper councillor behavior, but Maieron said during a break at county council on Jan. 28 that he had done nothing against the procedural bylaw, declaring that his letter stated it was “one councillor’s opinion.”

Ross-Zuj said on Monday she checked the bylaw and Maieron had no business advocating something to the province that county council has not dis­cussed and voted on.

Maieron opened his letter “I am writing you on behalf of the property taxpayers of Well­ing­ton County and ergo by associ­ation the property taxpayers of the City of Guelph …”

Ross-Zuj said by inference he is speaking for both councils when he has no right to say anything for either of them.

She said the procedural by­law states the warden is autho­rized to speak on behalf of council, and the proper proce­dure to follow is to send any issue to committee for debate, get a recommendation and then have county council approve it.

“It says that in our pro­ce­dural bylaw,” Ross-Zuj said.

Maieron signed his letter ad­vocating a forced city and county merger with “Lou Maieron, Wellington County Councillor.”

Ross-Zuj said, “I speak bas­ed on an item coming through proper chan­nel. That item has not come through council.”