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Volume 7 Issue 47
Turmoil as McBride Council loses three by EVAN MATTHEWS
Rather than “A Town on Track,” McBride appears to be coming off its tracks after three councillors resigned last week. Councillors Ralph Bezanson, Sharon Reichert and Edee Tracy submitted their walking papers, leaving Councillor Rick Thompson and Mayor Loranne Martin as the only remaining members of council. The Village will now hold a by-election to elect three new councillors, according to the Village of McBride, and Mayor Martin says the election will be held as soon as possible.
Former councillor Sharon Reichert says the three councilors resigned together in an attempt to get the Province to step in. “I have lost all faith in my mayor and in my CAO… I can’t elaborate on that, for fear of ramifications,” says Reichert. “I felt the only way I could help the Village is to get the ministry to step in.” But in a statement released Tuesday, Mayor Martin, said “the three councillors refused to attend regular council meetings — despite the legislation — and then held their own special meetings at times when the Mayor was expected to be unavailable.”
Kinnikinnickers gets cooking
The statement goes on to say that as a result of the councillors’ absence a human rights claim against two of the councillors, a WorkSafeBC claim of bullying and harassment against two of the councillors, as well as other business crucial to the community could not be conducted. When The Goat asked Mayor Martin to elaborate on which councillors had WorkSafeBC claims and human rights complaints filed against them or why those claims couldn’t proceed she did not respond by presstime. The Minister of Community, Sport and Cont’d on A07
Others pursue geothermal A03
Holidays are here; shopping A07
Photo: Alicia Hill Kinnikinnickers put on a cooking class for nine- to 12-year-old kids, which was held at the secondary school. Roxie Smid taught the class. Many of the kids expressed how much they enjoyed the class, and all that they learned. Smid says they will be putting together another class for January.
A backcountry burden A08 Listings on A02! P15!
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Interim-CAO’s contract extended by EVAN MATTHEWS
Though the Village continues its search for a more permanent replacement, Gord Simmons’ contract has been extended. The extension will see Simmons stay on with the Village through Dec. 13, he says. Named near the end of September, Simmons has been working with Valemount Council in place of the recently departed CAO, Mark Macneill. Simmons has been retired for the past
seven-and-a-half years, but had spent the 25 years prior working for the Regional District of Fraser- Fort George’s planning department. “I’m eager to get back to my woodworking and my carpentry,” says Simmons, making it clear he will not throw his hat in the ring as a long-term solution. Simmons took the position of interimCAO here, he says, based on his pre-existing relationship with the mayor, and his love for the town..
Dating back to November 2014, the Village has had two corporate officers and two chief administrative officers, respectively, not including interim positions. Macneill was hired in relief of former CAO, Anne Yanciw, who spent over three years as CAO. An interim-CAO, Ken Wiesner, filled the small gap between Yanciw and Macneill’s respective employment. The Village has not given a timeline on any potential hire.
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