E E R F
Entertainment events Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal among performers in Nanaimo this weekend. PAGE 13
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016
No bones about it
An RCMP dive team surfaces to pick up a camera at Brechin Boat Ramp on Zorkin Road Tuesday evening. The team was called in to get a better look at what appeared to be bones under the water spotted by a passerby that morning. Police closed the ramp for several hours until divers conducted their search. Barbara McLintock, B.C. Coroner’s Office spokeswoman, said Wednesday that bones found at the site were from a juvenile deer. CHRIS BUSH THE NEWS BULLETIN
City pays portion of facilitator costs
I
NO DECISION on whether to cover remainder of bill.
BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
The City of Nanaimo will pay less than half of its bill for a facilitator hired to help councillors get along. The municipality announced Tuesday council unanimously agreed in camera to pay the Integrity Group $20,000 rather than the full $48,000 invoice. The mayor, who hired
the Integrity Group, was absent from the meeting. The press release states the $20,000 was in accordance with a 2015 agreement with the Integrity Group and “added to this amount” was $28,000 for work undertaken with the mayor. The city has not released the 2015 agreement nor the paper trail showing authorization of the costs as requested by the News Bulletin, saying those documents are still in camera. Coun. Bill Bestwick, council spokesman, said the mayor has been asked
Quality & Service at Budget Prices Quote Of The Week
I’m finally so far in debt I can start my own country.
to provide information on the additional expenditure but no decision has been made on whether the city will pay the rest of the cost. Mayor Bill McKay told the News Bulletin that council never authorized $20,000 at the beginning, saying “they authorized it yesterday,” and there was no budget for the work. The estimate for that amount was provided by the facilitator to then-city manager Ted Swabey and the mayor. McKay said he does not agree with council’s recent decision.
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VOL. 27, NO. 81
“A contractor has done work with us in good faith,” he said. “I followed the process that was provided to me by the previous city manager and believed that the process was being followed.” The mayor hired the Integrity Group in June, telling the News Bulletin then that morale was at an all-time low at city hall and the business of the city was not getting done. He also said council was in favour of the process, which was about changing relationships. See ‘COUNCIL’ /4
Neighbourhood group dissolved without vote from society members BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
The results were in and it was unanimous. Sixty-four people voted with coloured cards to expel five directors from their neighbourhood society. Trouble was, the society had already been dissolved – and it didn’t take a single vote to do it. Neighbours of Nob Hill Society, a nine-yearold community group in downtown Nanaimo, was dissolved last month and its members are now working to restore it. It was one of 18 neighbourhood associations listed on the city’s website, which can bring neighbours together to act as a voice for the community and liaise with the City of Nanaimo. NEIGHBHOURHOOD The Nob Hill group SOCIETIES can bring was closed after forneighbours together mer directors Stathi to act as voice of Tsangaris and Doug community and liaise Hiltz, who claim with City of Nanaimo. there was infighting and a refusal of mediation, took matters into their own hands Jan. 27, signing documents to start the process of dissolving the society through the B.C. Registry Services. Members on both sides of the issue have painted a picture of divided leadership in the months before the dissolution and the attempt to expel members. An extraordinary meeting on Jan. 29 was held to expel five members including Hiltz and Tsangaris, according to Tereza Bajan, cochairwoman of the now defunct society, who claims they were on a review committee for the association’s constitution and bylaws and submitted documents to B.C. Registry without votes by the membership. Hiltz, however, said they gave people four opportunities to voice their opinion on the constitution before it was sent.
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See ‘MEMBERS’ /11
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