TRUDY KLASSEN AND ERIC ALLEN DISSECT THE PARKADE SCANDAL
The slow trickle of emails being released to the public discussing the parkade cost overruns suggest there is much more that should be made public and properly investigated. The current statements from the mayor and staff do not explain the gap between what happened and who knew what, when, and most importantly, why.
The reason why this matters is it seems to be a concealing of facts from city council to avoid accountability as the costs kept piling up. So far, what we know reveals there is much we do not know.
For instance, there is this strange exchange between then planning manager (and current interim deputy city manager) Ian Wells and former city manager Kathleen Soltis about parkade developer Frank Quinn’s concerns about their salaries. Why is Ian Wells talking to a developer about their salaries? Sure, their huge salaries were in the news at the time and so a conversation about it would be likely, but why would a casual conversation about this expand into a request from Quinn that the Mayor “show leadership?”
As far as we know, Quinn’s only relationship with the city was as a developer. He doesn’t live in Prince George. Why would Wells promote his opinion on the issue?
In the April 6 Citizen story by Arthur Williams, we can read this email excerpt obtained through an FOI request: “July 9, 2018, Soltis sent an email to Wells, with the subject “Fw: Parkade Prince George Costing.”
“How did things go with A&T on Friday?” Soltis asked Wells at 11:05 a.m.
“It went very well,” Wells replied via email. “We indicated that they need to continue to get the best prices, and that City could not change the partnering agreement without Council Approval. Frank thought that Lyn needed to show some leadership regarding our salaries. Frank sent him a text offering to help. Call me if you need more info.”
At 7:42 p.m. on July 9, 2018, Soltis replied, “Thanks, Ian. I talked with Lyn last night and he generally mentioned Frank’s advice to me.”
At first glance, the sentence about “our salaries” and “advice” seem out of place as the subject of the email was the parkade and it is even in the same paragraph as the parkade. Why would Wells switch from writing about the condo/parkade project to mention that Frank Quinn recommends the mayor show leadership regarding the salaries of senior management, as well as offer advice?
Then Mayor Hall seems to have confirmed the discussion with Quinn about that advice. This advice is apparently important enough to reassure Wells. Is this simply a poor writing choice or are the two connected? If connected, that is interesting and needs clarity to avoid misunderstanding.
Just last week, Williams reports: “Last week, however, a spokesperson for the city confirmed that an email exchange between Soltis and then city general manager of planning and development Ian Wells on July 9, 2018 was referring to A & T partner Frank Quinn. The emails suggest Quinn reached out to Hall via text message sometime between July 6, 2018 and July 9, 2018.
“As you may recall, the subject of staff salaries was being reported and opined upon in the Prince George news media at the time of the meeting,” a city spokesperson said in an email. “Consequently, the topic came up as part of the course of a ‘side conversation’ during the meeting about the parkade project. This conversation is what is being referred to in the email chain.”
This doesn’t explain why the side conversation about salaries was considered important enough to include in an email. It doesn’t explain why it was important enough for the mayor to be texted and confirmed as an item of discussion and again referred to in another email.
These are just a few questions. The people of Prince George have many more questions and deserve answers. The cost overruns could have paid for so many kilometres of roads to be improved, potholes to be filled, water and sewer updating, wheelchair accessibility improvements and trail improvement.
We need a complete and independent investigation.