Frank Gale/TC Media
Mayor Tom O’Brien reacts to a motion put forward by Coun. Tom Rose at Thursday’s general meeting of the Stephenville town council.
Citing a section on key stakeholders and key messages in the town councillors’ handbook regarding openness and transparency, avoiding conflict of interest situations and council being fair-minded, he brought forward the motion.
Rose said he was bringing the motion forward because council is in violation of the Public Tender Act for these services, which he said was defined in an Oct. 4 letter from Dale Williams of the Government Purchasing Agency.
Mayor Tom O’Brien was quick to point out that the finding by Williams didn’t say the town was in violation of the Public Tender Act, but rather that it is the Government Purchasing Agency’s opinion this is a tenderable service.
He said Rose and other members of council are well aware management with the town are preparing four options for council to look at regarding municipal enforcement and animal control.
O’Brien said council was going to have a discussion on this particular issue in a private session after the public meeting.
Rose wanted his motion spoken to right away despite O’Brien’s insistence there was no need for it because the matter is being dealt with.
However, on more insistence by Rose, O’Brien put the motion to the floor and, because there was no seconder from the remainder of council in attendance, it died. Others in attendance included Deputy Mayor Mike Tobin, and councillors Don Gibbon, Laura Aylward and Darlene Oake. Coun. Justin House wasn’t at the meeting.
After the motion died, O’Brien said this is an issue all of them have been dealing with in the last number of weeks and part of that is the termination of current contracts.
Tobin said while he couldn’t second Rose’s motion at the meeting due to the current circumstances, if the matter is not dealt with by the next council meeting slated for Nov. 3, he will second it then.
