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TUESDAY, SDA DECEMBER 4, 2012
VOL. 24, NO. 94
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Complaint spurs conflict probe
I
ISSUE RAISED over mayor’s vote on Terminal Trench. BY TOBY GORMAN THE NEWS BULLETIN
A conflict of interest complaint has been filed against Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan regarding a vote he participated in that helped to secure provincial funding for the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association and its efforts to conduct an environmental assessment of the Terminal Trench. Ruttan owns the building at 300 Terminal Ave., which is part of a two-kilometre stretch of corridor to be considered for the environmental assessment. The DNBIA secured more than $200,000 to complete the study, which will include drilling on various land parcels to determine how polluted the ground is. The complaint stems from an 8-1 vote in October by council that Ruttan participated in to forward funds to the DNBIA so it could meet a tight deadline and assure the organization the provincial money would be delivered. Only Coun. Jim Kipp was opposed. The DNBIA had requested funding be forwarded by the city so it could begin work immediately on the assessment due to a March 2013 deadline set by the province. By agreeing to forward the funds, as well as an $8,000 balance to round off the city’s funding commit-
ment to the DNBIA for 2013, the environmental assessment of the Terminal Trench would be assured. Ruttan said he was well aware of the potential conflict of interest and had removed himself from previous council discussions on the topic, going so far as to not signing an agreement to allow drilling on his property or to be made aware of assessment results. “Our first discussions were site specific in permitting the DNBIA to go ahead and look for contamination along Nicol Street and Terminal Avenue, and I felt I was in conflict on that one and so I removed myself from the room and did not vote on the issue,” said Ruttan. “The issue I did vote on was different in my mind. I voted with the majority to allow for that funding because it wasn’t site specific, and I was voting to preserve the grant that they had been approved for by the provincial government.” If the DNBIA’s request had been turned down by council, it stood to lose the funding from the province for the project. “In retrospect I don’t believe I was ever in conflict and I really never thought it would be questioned,” added Ruttan. The Local Government Act says it is up to elected officials to make the determination whether or not they are in conflict on a council vote. Ruttan is not in a position to benefit financially from voting on the motion. Al Kenning, city manager, said the complaint was received by a member of the public. ◆ See ‘RESOLUTION’ ‘ /4
NIOMI PEARSON/THE NEWS BULLETIN
Traditional transportation
Belgian steeds Barney and Fred were the main attraction in downtown Nanaimo Saturday, picking up and dropping off passengers in the Old City Quarter and off Museum Way. The trolley rides are part of an initiative by the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association.
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