Mauro defends council absences
CITY COUNCILLOR HAS MISSED MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF MEETINGS SINCE BEGINNING OF TERM
Coun. Joe Mauro has missed more than one-third of city council meetings held since the beginning of the term last year — but for good reason, he says.
Mauro has missed nine out of 24 council meetings for an attendance record around 63 per cent, according to information gathered by The Herald and corroborated with information from City administration.
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Mauro acknowledged his attendance has been the subject of discussion in the past, but that the absences have been due to serious family issues.
“Most of those (absences) were because of my father,” he said. “My father passed away. I was my father's caregiver. And toward the end of my father’s life, I think there’s more important things. I’d rather spend time with my father, knowing he was at the end of his life, than attending a council meeting.
“If anybody wants to know why I’m missing council meetings, 99 per cent of the time — probably 100 per cent of the time — it’s because of family issues. And I will always put family first.”
Mauro’s father, Silvio, passed away in November last year.
In July, a series of leaked emails revealed a behind-thescenes argument between Mauro and Mayor Chris Spearman. One of the criticisms made by Spearman during that exchange was that Mauro’s council attendance was “appalling.”
Mauro was absent for the May 14 meeting of council, which was the first time council officially acknowledged the existence of Lethbridge on Blackfoot territory.
In June, both Mauro and Coun. Blaine Hyggen missed a controversial vote that saw council pay $15,000 to the Lethbridge and District Japanese Garden Society to cover travel costs for two people to go to Ireland for a Friendship Scroll Exchange.
The vote narrowly passed by a count of 4-3 and raised questions about the City’s role in providing travel money for local groups.
At that same meeting, Mauro and Hyggen were absent for final passage on the City’s retail cannabis Land Use Bylaw amendment — an amendment which had been delayed by two weeks at Mauro’s request in order to have more time to consider the information.
Mauro said the issues being voted on had no bearing on his attendance.
“I don’t miss meetings just to miss meetings,” he said. “I’m not afraid and miss meetings because I have to vote on something that might be contentious. I don’t play that game.”
Mauro is not the only council member to miss council meetings.
Spearman has missed one, and Coun. Rob Miyashiro has missed three.
Both Spearman and Miyashiro were absent for a vote during the Aug. 7 council meeting to create an ad hoc committee to help the City deal with the opioid crisis. The motion underwent a number of revisions and lengthy discussion prior to passage.
Coun. Belinda Crowson is one of two council members — along with Coun. Jeff Carlson — who has maintained a perfect attendance record across all meetings, such as public hearings, community issues committee meetings, and in camera meetings, since the beginning of the term.
On Wednesday, Crowson said the main reason is that being an elected official is her only current employment.
“Other people have careers and things, but I have this, and I have the time to do it,” she said. “And I had a lucky winter where I didn’t get sick.”
She also said she makes her role as an elected official a priority.
“It think it’s absolutely vital to be there whenever possible,” she said. “If you’re not there, you’re not hearing from the public, and you’re not helping to make the decisions.
“You should try to be there whenever you can.”
Here is the breakdown for council attendance between the beginning of the term on Oct. 30, 2017, to the latest meeting on Aug. 20:
• Coun. Mark Campbell: 24/24 or 100 per cent
• Coun. Jeff Carlson: 24/24 for 100 per cent;
• Coun. Belinda Crowson: 24/24 or 100 per cent;
• Mayor Chris Spearman: 23/24 or 96 per cent
• Coun. Ryan Parker: 23/24 or 96 per cent;
• Coun. Jeff Coffman: 21/24 or 88 per cent;
• Coun. Blaine Hyggen: 21/24 or 88 per cent;
• Coun. Rob Miyashiro: 21/24 or 88 per cent; and
• Coun. Joe Mauro: 15/24 or 63 per cent.
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