Vote for removal of warden set for next month
Municipal councillors in Inverness County will vote next month on a motion to remove Betty Ann MacQuarrie as warden.
But getting to that point came after much confusion about the process that council needed to follow.
Initially, it looked as though a vote might take place at council’s regular session Thursday afternoon, after councillors individually offered their reviews of MacQuarrie’s performance during her almost two years as warden. Under the municipality’s policy, the warden and deputy warden positions are for four years, with reviews to take place after two years.
But municipal solicitor Harold MacIsaac advised that, under the province’s Municipal Government Act, council would have to give a minimum of 20 days notice in writing of the intention to hold such a vote.
Ultimately, Coun. John MacLennan moved that motion, seconded by Coun. John Dowling, with all members of council, with the exception of Coun. Laurie Cranton, voting in favour. MacQuarrie herself voted in favour of the motion.
Then, when the agenda moved to the review of Deputy Warden Alfred Poirier, Poirier moved the motion to vote to remove himself as deputy warden, saying he felt everyone should be treated the same.
In order for either vote to be successful, it will require a two-thirds majority of council, or four of the six council members. Those votes will now take place at council’s Dec. 6 meeting.
“There seemed to be some confusion but it’s too bad we didn’t know ahead of time,” MacQuarrie said following the meeting.
As the councillors offered their individual critiques of MacQuarrie’s time as warden, Cranton, who participated via teleconference, said he was very happy with the current leadership, noting it occurred during a time of great change for the municipality.
Coun. Jim Mustard said he feels council lacks strategic direction at the moment.
“That’s not a reflection of the warden alone, but on all of us,” he said.
He added the council has held respectful discussions since questions about MacQuarrie’s leadership were first raised by some councillors in June.
Dowling said he still has unanswered questions following
that June meeting and he wished that MacQuarrie had reached out to him.
“I don’t see the vision,” Dowling said, adding he believes the municipality is lagging behind in many ways.
MacLennan was also critical of MacQuarrie’s performance.
“When you were elected warden, I supported you, I figured you would be a good person for the job, it really didn’t turn out that way,” he said.
Poirier said he’s been disappointed in the lack of progress in having bilingual staff to serve the county’s Acadian population under MacQuarrie’s leadership and feels there’s been a lack of communication.
In response, MacQuarrie noted the municipality has made strides by councillors working together in many areas in the past two years, including successfully fighting for payment of tax arrears by the Nova Scotia Health Authority, and has dealt with staffing changes and challenges with its water utility.
In June, MacQuarrie’s ability to keep order at council meetings and follow accepted rules of order was also criticized by several councillors as were comments she made to the media on some topics. She defended her record in maintaining order at meetings but said she would strive to do better. A large group of her supporters showed up to the June meeting.
At Thursday’s meeting, several members of council suggested they should look at changing their policy to have two-year terms for the warden and deputy warden, as is the case in other municipalities such as Victoria and Richmond counties.