The province says Lantzville Council can carry on meeting and making decisions with just three members, but the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development is urging a quick by-election.
Four Councillors and some key District staff have resigned in recent weeks.
In a letter to mayor Colin Haime, Coralee Oakes also says she expects Lanztville to move quickly on addressing the issues that led to those resignations, and on replacing the departed staff.
Haime says even with the go-ahead from the province the 3-person Council will be mainly in a caretaker role.
The remaining Council is holding a special meeting Wednesday night, and a by-election is on the agenda. It’s estimated the cost will be up to 20-thousand dollars.
In her letter Oakes says:
“The highly unusual circumstances, that have resulted in Provincial Intervention to issue a Minister’s Order compel me to clearly articulate priorities for action by Council until aby-electlon Is held to fill the vacancies in office.
Primarily, I would expect that Council will immediately address: appointing a Chief Election Officer (CEO) and Deputy Chief Election Officer to run the by-election; and appointing an Interim Chief Administrative Officer(CAO).
… I have asked the Inspector of Municipalities to monitor the progress of Council toward meeting these priorities to determine if any further action is needed.
Further, after the appointment of an interim CAO, I would expect that any other vacant statutory positions (i.e., the Chief Financial Offlcer) are also filled as soon as possible.
I am also aware of the correspondence from the inspector addressed to the District Council that indicated an expectation ‘that councils establish procedures and policies to ensure positive council/staff relations and to have mechanisms In place to deal with issues or disputes as they arise and that the Ministry would expect that council obtain independent professional assistance to fully understand the issues and find mutually acceptable ways to solve those problems’. My expectation is that Council will
implement a plan including obtaining independent professional assistance to address the issues that have resulted in councillor and staff resignations…”
