An open letter to Mayor & Council, Lac Ste. Anne County

An open letter to Mayor & Council, Lac Ste. Anne County

 By David Chawner

Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear I was told that a councillor or councillors is/are upset about all the negative comments in the media …. (I hope they don’t mean me!)

            Gentlemen the solution to that is in YOUR hands – you were elected (and swore an oath) to REPRESENT the ratepayers of this County – not to do whatever you wanted.

            If you want the negativity to stop, all you have to do is - your job! When you are asked a question – answer it! don’t ‘farm’ it off to Administration, claim that the requested information hasn’t been compiled yet or just ignore it, the question is TO YOU – that’s your job. I’m sure that, when you start doing that, the negativity will ‘fade into the  sunset’ because it will no longer be valid.

            The Municipal Govt. Act (M.G.A.) says that all information that can be released to the public – should be, and yet you and YOUR administration have consistently failed to do that, and actively obstructed it by not answering ratepayers questions or demanding F.O.I.P. requests and multi-thousand dollar fees to provide information that belongs to the ratepayers of this County.

            As you’ve failed to reply to most of my (mailed) questions I’ll ask these through  the media as well as directly to you - re. the upgrades to Twp.Rd. 544 .

Government regulations (T.I.L.M.A.) require that contracts above a certain dollar value are openly tendered – not just awarded to the contractor of your choice: 

1.     was a request for “Expressions of Interest” (to do that job) sent out

2.     if so, was that a general request or directed to specific companies, and if so, which ones

3.     how was the estimated possible savings of upto $600,000 (about 25%) arrived at – to justify borrowing the money and doing it in one year instead of the planned three years

4.     how was the estimated cost of $1.9 million established

5.     was a borrowing bylaw passed prior to the request being answered and contract awarded, and if so, what number is it

6.     was the loan arranged before or after the bylaw was passed

7.     has a contract been signed, and, if so, when was it dated

8.     given the weather at this time of year can affect contractors’ ability to complete jobs by the proposed completion date – will that price still be maintained if the work has to be delayed until next season?

As usual I thank you for your time and look forward to receiving your reply.

David Chawner

Sturgeon Heights