Taxpayers Need to be Concerned
As taxpayers of Outlook, we all need to be concerned with the conduct and actions of our councillors.聽 This became even more apparent when reading the minutes from the July 22 meeting after the in-camera session.聽 Councillor Applin submitted a letter of resignation due to 鈥渃ouncil contraventions鈥�.聽 When themotion was called to accept the resignation, Mayor Ross Derdall, Deputy Mayor David Simonson and Councillor Floyd Childerhose voted against the motion.聽 The motion was defeated.聽 While the specific details aren鈥檛 known by the general public, Councillor Applin鈥檚 transgression was clearly serious enough to warrant her resignation.聽 It appears that Outlook town councillors now can engage in whatever behavior they please without impunity.聽 Is the conduct of Councillor Applin the reason behind the fifth town administrator (all in the term of this council) resigning?
Below is a portion of the minutes from the July 22 council meeting pertaining to said resignation:
Council Contraventions:
聽聽聽 657/20 鈥� Grotheim/Smith:聽 That Council accept the resignation of Councillor Applin, effective immediately.
聽聽聽 Recorded Vote Requested:
聽聽聽 In Favor: Councillors Grotheim, McLeod, Smith
聽聽聽 Opposed: Mayor Derdall, Councillors Simonson, Childerhose
聽聽聽 Defeated.
This leads to another question 鈥� why is the Town of Outlook having issues attracting and retaining a town administrator?聽 Is it an ineptitude in hiring practices or the inability of council to respect and work well with administrators that is putting taxpayers on the hook each time a new administrator needs to be head hunted?聽 Either way, I鈥檓 certain Outlook is not garnering a sterling reputation among prospective new hires.
I then go back to a few meetings ago that I watched live on Facebook when Councillor Grotheim questioned the decision to move the airport building to the dump rather than receive and review a proposal from a development firm.聽 He presented a previous motion made by council authorizing the proposal and asked why that decision was not being followed, but rather a new decision was made to move the airport building to the dump.聽 Councillor Grotheim read the previous motion, that was voted on and approved, several times and continued to request when that motion was rescinded.聽 The response he received from Derdall, Applin and Simonson was that changes to motions occur all the time and that it was their understanding this decision was the wishes of council.聽 When Councillor Grotheim pushed the issue even further, Mayor Derdall appeared to become angry and told Grotheim that the decision was made and to move on.聽 So, a formal motion in a democratic process can now be ignored?聽 Or was it modified by certain members of council?聽 I agree that new information may impact a previous decision; however, there is a process to be followed if that is the wish of the majority.
Let me also remind the citizens of Outlook of the debacle a year ago when council refused to answer rate payers鈥� questions posted in The Outlook.聽 Not only were we told not to approach any councillor with any questions or issue (but rather file the questions with the town office and they would be brought up at the next council meeting), Council demanded an apology from the Editor of The Outlook for their 鈥渉arassment鈥�.聽 This response from our elected officials was discussed by the CBC and News Talk Radio.聽 It spread across numerous provinces and the Town of Outlook was not shed in a flattering light.聽 My personal opinion is the handling of that whole situation was not that of the entire council but rather of certain councillors.
Within the first year of being elected this term, we had to return to the polls in a by-election because then Councillor Maureen Weiterman resigned.聽 Sometime after, Mrs. Weiterman made it known publicly that she could not in good conscience continue as a councillor because of the direction and conduct of council.
I have also heard from numerous sources that, during the council meeting held on August 12, Mayor Derdall was disturbed by questions from the general public about the new firehall being proposed.聽 It鈥檚 concerning when our Mayor gets upset when asked a question or asked to provide information about a major project in this community that will be funded by our tax dollars.
Finally, because it affected me personally, I will raise the Letter to the Editor from Deputy Mayor Simonson directed at me regarding a question I posed at a public meeting a few years ago.聽 A question posed by a taxpayer of this community was answered by attacking my character in a very public manner.聽 At that meeting and future meetings, questions have been asked by others that receive the response 鈥渋f you don鈥檛 like it, run for council鈥�.聽 This attitude does not promote open communication or the transparency we were promised in the last election season.
A few general questions for the readers of this letter: have our elected officials represented us in a way that we are proud of?聽 Is the Town of Outlook portrayed to the Province of Saskatchewan in a light that we are proud of?聽 Are members of this council leaving the Town of Outlook in a better spot than when they were first elected?聽 I know that being a councillor is a thankless job and that not all the decisions made will be popular with the masses but what I have outlined are not decisions made but rather the conduct, morals and ethics of the mayor and council.
This November, we all have the opportunity to elect new officials of this community.聽 I hope that everyone going to the polls this fall reflect on the questions posed and the information and opinions presented as well as any other dealings you have had with the members that are supposed to represent you should any of the current members of council run for re-election.聽 I for one feel certain members of council do not deserve to have the satisfaction of completing a full term as a municipal official.聽 Their conduct has not always been in the best interests of the community.聽聽 Perhaps taxpayers of Outlook should see a few more resignations on a future meeting鈥檚 agenda and this time, those resignations should be accepted, no questions asked.
Justin Turton
Outlook, SK
