In response correspondence regarding a former city committee member’s involvement on a vote, the former chair of that committee has issued an apology.
At the March 2 City of Powell River committee of the whole (COW) meeting, councillors received correspondence from Arthur Richards, who had sat as a member of the city’s emergency services facility committee and has since resigned, regarding a statement made by councillor Maggie Hathaway at a previous meeting.
Hathaway made an error in response to a previous letter from Richards reviewed at the February 16 COW meeting, where Richards outlined his reasons for resigning from the emergency services facility committee.
One of the points Richards raised was that he resigned because he disagreed with a city councillor [Hathaway] being chair and an ex-councillor being the vice-chair.
At the February 16 meeting, Hathaway stated that regarding a city councillor and ex-city councillor being the chair and vice-chair of the committee, there was an election for the positions held and Richards voted in favour of acclamation.
Richards said in his letter reviewed at the March 2 meeting that he was not in attendance at the meeting when the chair and vice-chair were elected.
“The fact remains that I did not vote in favour of her acclamation,” stated Richards in his second letter. “I don’t believe council should be appointing councillors as chairpersons and I think councillors should only be on select committees as a resource.”
Hathaway, at the March 2 meeting, commented that in error she said [Richards] was concerned that a city councillor and a former city councillor were voted as chair and vice-chair of the emergency services committee, and that he was present for the vote.
“I erroneously made the comment that he voted in favour of acclamation,” said Hathaway.
She said the elections were held on October 30, 2019, which was the first meeting of the emergency services facility committee.
“I remembered it was acclamation,” said Hathaway. “Mr. Richards was such a key member of our committee. I didn’t remember him ever missing a meeting, so I erroneously said he was there when in fact, he was not. I apologize for that lack in judgment. It never crossed my mind that he wasn’t there.
“I hope I haven’t caused any embarrassment to Mr. Richards.”
Mayor Dave Formosa suggested the committee note and file the letter.
