A6.THE BRIDEAU ISSUE

A6.:

Update 2 on the Brideau Issue

As you know, the Municipal Government Act requires that decisions for the Town must be made by Council and in public sessions. Neither of these requirements appears to have been complied with in the Mayor Stead’s increases of Brideau’s salaries and pension plan contributions from 2007 up to 2011. If so, then these increases, outlined in a letter of Mayor Stead, dated February 15, 2007, are to be considered illegal.

In this context I have a lot of questions forwarded to the Town or published on my blog “Voices of Wolfville” since last year. None of the questions have been answered to my satisfaction by the Town or the Council yet.

Since about 11 months I am waiting for an answer from the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Office where I had filed a complaint on July 09, 2008. My complaint was confirmed by the Review Office in a letter dated July 14, 2008 stating that Requests for Review are processed in the order in which they are received. In a phone call to Mary Kennedy – Intake/Administration – of the Review Office on July 30, 2008 I was told that an answer could take 4 to 6 months but could go faster as well. I intend to pursue the Brideau Isuue further as soon as I will get the requested information from the Review Office.

Due to the incomplete answer from the Town’s Administration to my application under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act on May 21, 2008 I had asked the Review Office in my complaint for

• Brideau’s missing records prior to 2007/2008
• Reasons for the blacked-out part on Stead’s statement dated February 15, 2007

On June 05, 2009 I sent a fax to the Review Office asking for an explanation on the delay.

The Brideau Issue is not over yet or forgotten. After the election last year I had a word with Mr. Simpson in his function as the new Deputy Mayor about the still open questions. His answer was at least promising: “Give the three new Councillors (the minority of Council not involved in illegal actions regarding the Brideau Issue) some time to settle in and we will tackle your questions.”

I think more than enough time has passed in the meantime.

Lutz E. Becker / June 05, 2009