Pelham continues to be bullied at Region: Augustyn
It’ll be months before the sun shines on Pelham again, says the town’s mayor.
“This motion is a dark cloud over the town,” said Mayor Dave Augustyn after an amended version of a motion regarding the town’s finances was again deferred during a Niagara Region audit committee meeting on Monday.
“We’ve answered all of the questions, we’ve answered all of the other questions and it’s very disheartening that this matter is continuing,” he said. “This crazy saga continues.”
He was referring to a motion by Port Colborne Coun. Dave Barrick, chair of the Region’s budget committee, that initially called on the Town of Pelham to provide annual audited financial statements from 2015 to 2017, and asked the town to develop a taxpayer affordability guideline to ensure its operating levy remains below 25 per cent while its annual repayment limit does not increase above 20 per cent of income spent on debt charges.
The motion, which was deferred from the March 30 regional council meeting, was again deferred Monday by Niagara Falls Coun. Selina Volpatti to an audit committee meeting on Sept. 18, to allow Pelham to provide additional information on the issue.
Despite his frustration, Augustyn said the town did manage a few victories during Monday’s debate that lasted about two hours.
All 15 whereas statements for instance, most of which referred to a previously approved $36-million debenture to allow Pelham to build a community centre on Regional Road 20, were removed from the motion.
Augustyn described the statements — which said Pelham’s current fiscal situation has resulted in a loss of public trust in the town’s ability to manage taxpayers’ money, and accused Pelham of conducting land transactions using a development charge scheme that does not accurately reflect its true debt levels in a transparent manner — as “misleading and erroneous.”
“That’s not true,” Barrick said during the meeting. “The whereases are factual … I understand the rationale why someone would want those whereases removed, but certainly not because they’re false, certainly not because they’re erroneous.”
Augustyn is also pleased with amendments to the motion that include expanding the scope of the request for taxpayer affordability guidelines to include “all local area municipalities,” while eliminating the request for Pelham’s audited financial statements that are already available on the town’s website.
Augustyn said if the Region is going to “pick on Pelham, it might as well pick on everybody.”
“This is going to be a cause for concern for mayors and councils across the region.”
Audit committee chairman Tony Quirk said Barrick’s original motion was based on concerns from Pelham residents about mounting debt, but “there are concerns about taxes across the region and where it’s going.”
“I’m hopeful that will start up and continue on,” said Quirk, a Grimsby councillor. “In other municipalities, I think there is some reason to expect them to put some sort of guidelines in place or to at least recognize that they are one small portion of the overall budget scenario or tax scenario and work in conjunction with us. I think it will be worthwhile to do that.”
Thorold Coun. Henry D’Angela agreed with the amendment to expand the scope of the motion.
“There are 12 municipalities. If we’re going to be asking Pelham to do something specific that relates to the other 11, I don’t see why we’re excluding the other 11,” D’Angela said.
While the amendments leave Augustyn “more optimistic” than he had been, he remains concerned that the Region is targeting his community and “monkeying into town business.”
“Here we are, supposed to be working together trying to improve the region,” he said. “Instead, we’re being hit over the head and chastised for improving our community. It’s disheartening.”
Augustyn said he argued during the meeting that the motion should have required a two-thirds majority reconsideration vote because it dealt with the previously approved debenture. But Quirk ruled that a vote of reconsideration wasn’t necessary because the resolution itself does not relate to the town’s debenture.
Augustyn said he also argued that the issue does not fall within the jurisdiction of regional council. But Quirk again disagreed. Although Augustyn challenged Quirk’s ruling, the majority of committee members sided with the chairman.
Augustyn described the motion as “bullying.”
“I’ve talked to other mayors across the region, and they’re saying this is not helpful,” he said. “This is inappropriate and shouldn’t be dealt with … It sets a very bad precedent across Niagara. If a small group doesn’t like you for whatever reason, they can dig right in.”
Augustyn said he has been vocal in concerns regarding Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority as well as Niagara Regional Police headquarters, “and now they’re trying to hit me over the head.”
“It’s inappropriate. Unfortunately we’re seeing this across the region. It’s a type of bullying,” he said. “I’m not going to stand down. The Town of Pelham council isn’t going to stand down. We’re going to stand up strong to this type of bullying and erroneous and misleading information.”
In an interview, Quirk called Augustyn’s use of the word bullying “offensive.”
“If you’re calling that bullying, then you probably don’t have the skin thick enough to be an elected official,” Quirk said. “Certainly you’re not going to be able to handle the slings and arrows as an elective official leading a large council if you consider this bullying.”
Barrick told committee members during the meeting, that as chairman of Niagara’s budget committee he “received many calls and emails from residents of Pelham, and there seems to be a sentiment that there’s some ulterior motive other than the true concerns from residents of Pelham with respect to what they are paying and how it impacts the region.”