Insults fly over Region’s expense policy
Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn was described as exhibiting “astounding” arrogance at Thursday’s regional council meeting, after he introduced a motion to prevent councillors from charging taxpayers for the distribution of promotional material.
Referring to flyers recently distributed by Couns. Tony
Quirk in Grimsby, Sandy Annunziata in Fort Erie and David Barrick in Port Colborne, Augustyn said they used provisions within the Region’s expense policy “to justify using regional staff resources and public funds to mail promotional materials to residents,” leading to concerns from the community.
The three councillors, however, were quick to defend the flyers they said were distributed to keep their constituents informed about the work underway by Niagara Region.
“The arrogance of the member from Pelham, telling me how I should effectively communicate with my residents is absolutely astounding,” Annunziata said.
Although council voted with a two-thirds majority to reconsider the expense policy — allowing Augustyn to introduce a motion to remove a provision from the expense policy that allows councillors to claim expenses incurred through promotional material related to regional business — the motion was ultimately referred to the corporate services committee for discussion.
Barrick said upper-tier government representatives take similar action to keep constituents informed, “but heaven forbid a regional councillor does it.”
“It’s ridiculous,” said Barrick, whose flyer drew ire from Port Colborne city councillors a month a ago. They were concerned the document included a side-by-side comparison between re- gional and city taxes, as well as accumulated debt.
“At the end of the day, each one of us are individually responsible to our residents,” Barrick said, adding his flyers were printed by regional staff and the distribution cost was about $300.
Quirk said he has only had one complaint.
With limited local media available in the Grimsby area, Quirk said the flyers are necessary to keep his constituents informed about regional issues “and the way I did it was the most costeffective way possible.”
Several councillors, however, spoke in support of Augustyn’s motion, including Niagara Falls Coun. Bob Gale, who said he hopes local “MPs and MPPs can stop their garbage coming to our — their information coming to us.”
“It's not promotional material — it's self promotion,” said St. Catharines Coun. Kelly Edgar. “I don’t think anyone would be opposed to sending out a newsletter.
“What I do find distasteful is basically self-promotion on the back of the Region and taxpayer.”
“I would never do what these gentlemen had done,” said Welland Coun. George Marshall, referring to the councillors who distributed the flyers.
“I would never even dream of it.”
Regional Chair Alan Caslin pointed out that “this term of council is the first time ever that we have all of our expenses online for everybody to see.”