When Gilles Prefontaine resigned to take a job with city administration there was no question it would change the dynamics of city council.
What many could not have predicted, however, was that the change would grind city business to a screeching halt. Despite still having more than enough councillors around the table to constitute a quorum, decisions are not being made. In fact, some very important matters such as council’s updated code of conduct, a new hiring policy to address Prefontaine’s defection, and a new capital funding formula have all been put off. Why? One common theme in most of those issues is the desire to have the new councillor at the table to help make the decision.
Nothing has better illustrated the dysfunction at city hall than the obvious stall tactics as, presumably, councillors hold off on voting in hopes the byelection yields an ally to help swing the vote. While that new councillor will be at the table in July, he or she will likely have to take a little while to get up to speed on a few things, which might further delay proceedings through the July break and into the middle of August.
While the argument could be made that some councillors want to be fair to the new member of council, this is just another example of poor optics at city hall. These delays make council look inept and leaves us wondering who exactly members of council represent, which, by their actions, illustrates it is not the city as a whole but perhaps certain elements within our city.
This week’s further delay on changes to Amacon’s land use bylaw, which puts the project back to the public hearing stage based on a procedural technicality is another blow to the city’s already poor reputation when dealing with developers. While it might not put the development at risk, it might, or at the very least give future developers pause when deciding to deal with the city in the future. If council does not know its own rules well enough to ensure proceedings follow expected timelines how can we expect to encourage beneficial growth when so much uncertainty exists? Coun. Sheena Hughes might have appropriately pointed out a failing in procedure, but restarting the public hearing process will not benefit the city.
It is frankly embarrassing to watch. How can we expect to attract business and development when council is unable to conduct city business with any efficiency?
Taxpayers in St. Albert deserve much better from their elected officials than what they have seen this term. Hubris rules the chamber, evident in insincere apologies or no apologies at all for past wrongs. But, nothing illustrates this better than the complete unwillingness of councillors to work together.
Sorry, St. Albert, but right now you have little leadership.
