St. Albert council has decided who will serve on which council committees next year – but not without an unusual dispute.
Several council members appeared to be embarrassed by the lengthy dispute at the annual organizational meeting Oct. 24, that saw some councillors accusing each other of bias with respect to the regional transit initiative.
At issue was a motion to approve a list of council committee appointments on a list prepared by the nominating committee, which comprises the mayor and three councillors.
Typically the committee presents a proposed list of appointments and council quickly rubber-stamps it, but as only two of the four members were at the last committee meeting, there was no quorum and a final recommendation could not be made.
The result was a disagreement over who would sit on the Regional Commuter Service Task Force, which will comprise two councillors each from Edmonton and St. Albert as the first stage of a potential regional transit service.
The initial list showed councillors Sheena Hughes and Wes Brodhead as the committee members, with Coun. Cathy Heron as the alternate.
Mayor Nolan Crouse proposed an amendment to the list that would have had Heron and Brodhead on the committee with Hughes as an alternate. Hughes then proposed an amendment to that amendment that would have had her and Coun. Cam MacKay as the committee members, with Heron as the alternate.
MacKay said he was willing to sit on the committee if council decided he should, but appeared perplexed about the change.
“Why would we do this? Who cares who’s on the Regional Commuter Service Task Force?” he asked.
Brodhead said he was uncomfortable with Hughes sitting on the committee because she has been strongly opposed to the prospect of a regional transit commuter service every time it has come up at council, and her bias would hinder the committee’s work.
“The reality of it is we’re entering into a negotiation in good faith, so we need to have people who actually believe in the project,” he said. “When you focus on the problems as opposed to the solution, you don’t get to the solution.”
Hughes countered that her intention was not to derail the committee, but rather to “get the best possible deal moving forward,” and that it was in fact Brodhead who had a bias in favour of regional transit that would prevent the city getting a good deal.
“I’m concerned Coun. Brodhead is too tied up politically and economically to look at this issue objectively,” she said. “We cannot afford to have people who say yes to any proposal that’s put in front of them.”
She added Heron has “never seen a regional initiative she’s voted against,” so shouldn’t be on the committee either.
The motion was defeated 4-3 with Hughes, MacKay and Coun. Bob Russell in favour, while Crouse’s motion to have Heron and Brodhead on the committee was passed 4-3 with Hughes, MacKay and Russell opposed.
Coun. Tim Osborne said he though it was “silly” to have had spent half an hour to debate this in public.
“This makes it especially awkward and uncomfortable for everyone involved,” he said. “I hope moving forward we can find a better way of managing this.”
Any plan the committee proposes will still have to come to council for approval.
