Middleton councillors want RCMP involvement

By Heather Killen

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

Two Middleton councillors want the RCMP to take a greater interest in town affairs.

Councillor Marc Britney recently voiced his concerns about an auditor’s report that was presented to council last month, but not fully disclosed to the public, upon advice from the town solicitor.

Councillor Britney spoke up during the last meeting of the Committee of the Whole on July 29. He said that while he agrees there are some matters that are inappropriate to discuss at this time, there is nothing in the auditor’s report that will jeopardize these sensitive issues.

He added that in his opinion, the public has a right to know about the state of the town’s finances, and that the town’s ‘responsibility to operate in an open and transparent manner takes precedence over any ongoing issues.”

Councillor Britney added that he believes that it’s inappropriate that the auditor has since withdrawn his audit report letter.

“If the report is withdrawn then the public needs to know that all the items of the report as presented July 21 have been withdrawn and that we have Financial Statements without an Audit Report,” he said in a prepared statement.

Deputy Mayor Vera Errington, who was chairing the July 29 meeting, responded that this item was not open for discussion until the next regular council meeting on August 5, when the solicitor would be present.

Councillor Britney answered that he was not available to attend the August 5 meeting, and that he wanted further discussion concerning the matter.

“I do not agree that items should have been omitted in the presentation of the Audit Report,” he read from the prepared statement.

He added he would not return his copy of the financial statement and the auditor’s report without a formal motion of council, and that he considers it to be a public document unless otherwise instructed by motion of council.

“Finally, I believe a copy of the report should be forwarded to the RCMP,” he said. “To that end, I move that a copy of the Audit Report provided to council 21 July 2008, be forwarded to the RCMP for their consideration.”

The motion was seconded by Councillor Brian Neville that a copy of the audit report of July 21, 2008 be forwarded to the RCMP for their consideration.

The motion was defeated by Deputy Mayor Vera Errington, Councillors Ray Giffen, Darren Boates, and Lorne Brown. Mayor Calvin Eddy was not at this meeting.