Rossland taxpayers ask mayor, councillor to resign

Submitted by 250 on Mon, 20/02/2023 - 1:02pm

Interesting read on page A3 in the Feb 16th Rossland News newspaper, make sure to grab yourself a copy.

 

Town: Rossland, BC
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Submitted by Dstrelioff on Mon, 20/02/2023 - 1:07pm.

I just read the article online.  News to me, first I've heard of it.  Anybody know the reason why council voted against the permits?

Submitted by Handbanana on Tue, 21/02/2023 - 9:45am.

Anyone have an online link?

Submitted by Liam on Tue, 21/02/2023 - 10:49am.

I think it's this one:

 

https://www.rosslandnews.com/news/rossland-taxpayers-ask-mayor-and-counc...

Submitted by Feathers and Fur on Tue, 21/02/2023 - 10:58am.

Trees currently be clear cut today on Granite road, opposite RED entrance. No development plan submitted to City, simply clear cutting within city of Rossland.

Thanks to previous council and mayor for standing up for our communities future as opposed to developers petsknsl gains.

 

I thought we have crown land in BC and forestry plans. And that city zoned property would be developed consciously with limiting tree removal based on submitted plans.

 

But I'm wrong I guess. 

Submitted by Geneviève on Wed, 22/02/2023 - 10:26am.

Interesting and sensational title but no substance to it. The case is more complex than asking for the councillors heads - that's assuming a lot without knowing the whole case.  I too I'm sad to see these trees go❤️

Submitted by Kato on Wed, 22/02/2023 - 10:26am.

This might provide some clarity on the issue.

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-110-daybreak-south/clip/15962288-...

Submitted by Kato on Wed, 22/02/2023 - 10:34am.

Sorry. I guess that episode is no longer available.

Submitted by Martin Lundh on Thu, 23/02/2023 - 10:06am.

I am so happy Kathy Moore finally got caught. I have been saying this for a long time. She is a criminal. And now the hole town knows about it. The sadest thing about this story is. They did hier a expensive lawer for legal advice. But they still went against his advice and ended up at CBC again. I asked the City hall how much of the taxpayers money. They spent on the lawer but they will not tell me. I hope it will come out of their own pockets. Kathy Moore making Rossland famous for the wrong reassons.

Submitted by LoRo on Thu, 23/02/2023 - 11:17am.

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2165782595712

 

Here's the story. 

Submitted by Geneviève on Thu, 23/02/2023 - 1:14pm.

Thanks for that link! Wow! I'm forever grateful for the councillors who followed due process and voted in favour of the permits despite the fact it went against their conviction. This could have been a wonderful opportunity for the other half to rally efforts to improve bylaws so that no future "logging permit disguised as a development permit" happens again. I trust that city staff was already working on improving such bylaws. Regardless, I wish Rosslanders had access to these facts prior to the city elections, but given we can't time travel, I hope Andy Morel makes a pertinent statement soon here, showing some responsibility taking and learning from this event. Nobody is perfect, everyone can make mistakes even after being professionally advised but taking responsability really shows that you are up for the monstrous task that is small town politics:) 

Submitted by Iamabum on Thu, 23/02/2023 - 1:30pm.

Maybe council meeting should continue to be recorded so "the people" can see what goes on at city hall. Wonder if the councillors/mayor will pay any costs out of their own pockets, considering they disregarded the laws for their own wishes.

I don't hear any crying about the trees that were logged in Redstone, or up at the hill, for developmnet.

Submitted by bikeskiswim on Thu, 23/02/2023 - 2:42pm.

Ya I heard the Council meeting this week was interesting. I didn't make it. Apparently Mayor + Council were asked a whole lot of questions, to which they wouldn't answer, and so everyone walked out. 

Any idea if it was recorded?

Submitted by Martin Lundh on Fri, 24/02/2023 - 8:44am.

Hello bikeskiswim. Yes people are recording every counsil meetings. It started this year. So glad it is recorded. 

 

Submitted by stevefrench on Fri, 24/02/2023 - 9:04am.

How do we watch or listen to it?

Submitted by Mike on Mon, 27/02/2023 - 10:10am.

Here's the link to the British Columbia Supreme Court decision from january 16, 2023. 

https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/23/00/2023BCSC0073.htm?fbclid=IwAR2Th...

Rumour has it that a settlement of $600,000 is in the works. 

Here's the CBC report with Chris Walker interveiwing the lawyer who argued for the plaintiff: 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rossland-meeting-transpa...

 

Submitted by Mike on Mon, 27/02/2023 - 10:36am.

Oops. Wrong link to the radio interview. Still a great interview in that one, however, as it speaks strongly and correctly to ethics.

Here's the link to the Daybreak South interview a few weeks ago: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-110-daybreak-south/clip/15962522-bc-supreme-court-overturns-rossland-council-decisions

 

Submitted by Dstrelioff on Mon, 27/02/2023 - 12:45pm.

So when I first read about this I didn't think it was a huge deal but $600K????  That's hardly something our small community can affaord.  Yeah, there needs to be some accountability for this one but let's try to remember that except for two members, the current council wasn't invovled in the decision, they're inheriting an ugly situation.  Let's all try to remember to be civil and respectful to each other, please.

Submitted by Iamabum on Mon, 27/02/2023 - 2:40pm.

Just the current mayor and another councillor.  Against all better advice...

Submitted by Mike on Tue, 28/02/2023 - 7:20am.
Begs the question of Immunity and Indemnity inthe BC Local Government Act. See Section 3 (a) at the end.

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/r15001_18#division_d0e69922
 
 
 

Division 2 — Immunities and Indemnities

Immunity for individual local public officers

738   (1)In this section, "local public officer" means any of the following:

(a)a member of a council;

(b)a director of a regional board;

(c)a trustee of an improvement district;

(d)a commissioner for a local community commission under Division 9 [Local Community Commissions] of Part 6 [Regional Districts: Governance and Procedures];

(e)a member of a commission established under section 263 (1) (g) [regional district commissions] of this Act or section 143 [municipal commissions] of the Community Charter;

(f)a member of a library board under the Library Act;

(g)a member of any greater board or of any board that provides similar services and is incorporated by letters patent;

(h)a member of an advisory planning commission under section 461;

(i)a member of a board of variance under Division 15 [Board of Variance] of Part 14 [Planning and Land Use Management];

(j)a member of the Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Board or an officer or employee of that board;

(k)a member of the Okanagan Basin Water Board;

(l)a trustee of a body of the Islands Trust under the Islands Trust Act;

(m)an officer or employee of a municipality, regional district, improvement district, library board under the Library Act, a greater board referred to in paragraph (g), the trust council under the Islands Trust Act or the Okanagan Basin Water Board;

(n)an election official or a regional voting officer under section 179 [assent voting conducted by more than one local government];

(o)a volunteer firefighter or a special constable;

(p)a volunteer who participates in the delivery of services by a municipality, regional district or a body referred to in paragraphs (c) to (l) under the supervision of an officer or employee of the municipality, regional district or any of those bodies;

(q)a member of a board of trustees established or appointed by a municipality under section 37 [local government operations] of the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act;

(r)a member of a municipal committee, of a regional district board committee or of an improvement district committee under section 689 [appointment of select and standing committees] who is not also a member of the municipal council, regional district board or improvement district board, as applicable.

(2)No action for damages lies or may be instituted against a local public officer or former local public officer

(a)for anything said or done or omitted to be said or done by that person in the performance or intended performance of the person's duty or the exercise of the person's power, or

(b)for any alleged neglect or default in the performance or intended performance of that person's duty or the exercise of that person's power.

(3)Subsection (2) does not provide a defence if

(a)the local public officer has, in relation to the conduct that is the subject matter of the action, been guilty of dishonesty, gross negligence or malicious or wilful misconduct, or

(b)the cause of action is libel or slander.

 

Submitted by D.W on Tue, 28/02/2023 - 9:40am.

Same shit over and over and over and over when it comes to politics, councils etc. It's very mind draining and discouraging after a while. 

Submitted by roamryder on Tue, 28/02/2023 - 10:52am.

The previous councils inappropriate conduct was certainly not confined to this logging issue.

Their decision to undertake the Rossland Yards project through the alternative approval process was equally egregious behaviour and prevented the democratic right of Rossland taxpayers to have a choice on that project.

Even if you think that project is the best thing that ever happened in Rossland you should be very concerned about the process that was used to approve it.

Also the speed limit bylaw was done without adequate consultation with the community. I think the degree of compliance you see is indicitive of buy-in for this bylaw. These types of bylaws should not be based on anecdotal evidence of a few that have the ear of council and council members personal feelings. If there is a traffic safety issue in Rossland lets see the accident / incident reports or the traffic counter data that shows speed. Then go ot the community and if they want change that change should be reasonable to effect buy-in. Perhaps 40kmh with some areas of 30kmh.

I believe the speed limit bylaw has actually created a more hazardous situation in school zones. As your subconscious brain gets used to seeing and ignoring 30kmh signs it gets carried over to school zones which is not ok. It has taken the special emphasis away from the school zone.

Regardless of all this I don't think resignation of the two hold overs from the last council is in the best interest of the community. We need a commitment from the current council to do better and the first step should be a policy of recording and posting all council meetings as was done during the pandemic.

Please read the cbc article (would be great if someone could post a link) "B.C. court ruling shows local government meetings need more transparency, legal expert says" by Winston Szeto Feb 4.

Submitted by roamryder on Tue, 28/02/2023 - 5:33pm.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rossland-meeting-transpa...

Submitted by Martin Lundh on Thu, 02/03/2023 - 4:37pm.

I think its funny the hole thing. Because they spent around $20 000 on illigal advice. Then the lawer they hired told them. You guys are going to lose in court. But Cityhall did not care and did it anyway. So they lost $20 000 of the tax payers money. The second thing is. Kathy should been fired. When she went on her holiday in Arizona. But her ontarage did everything in their power. To keep Kathy after her scandal.                If those people dident do that. We would not have this giant $600 000 problem. So I have to say I hope you are shamed of yourselfs. Crimminals should be in jail. Not walking around in Rossland. I hope this mony will come out of Kathys pockets. But most likely the tax payers pockets. Kathy Moore making Rossland famous for the wrong reasons. Once again!!!!

Submitted by Martin Lundh on Fri, 03/03/2023 - 7:33pm.

Kathy Moore cost every taxpayer $1500 Dollars. In Rossland. And lots of bad publicity.

Submitted by Shredred2009 on Mon, 07/08/2023 - 11:39am.

http://www.bhubble.com/discussions/node/149642