RM’s no response, response

Since late March 2022, the RM of McKillop’s CAO, Brandi Morissette, has not responded to questions from LMT regarding process or clarification. A source has told LMT that the council has not directed Morissette to disregard our questions but that she is acting independently.

-BY JENNIFER ARGUE, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

December 2, 2022

To bring everyone up to speed, here are the questions we’ve asked in chronological order.

March 22, 2022 - by email

  • “I didn’t hear anyone declaring an interest when going into closed session to discuss the ethics complaints.
  • Was there any declaration by any councillor? and if so whom?
  • I would also like your original unaltered report regarding the meetings and remuneration. If there are additions after the fact, can you please make that clear what those are.”

March 24, 2022 - by email

  • “As per Section 117 of the Municipalities Act, I would like to review the submission you wrote and provided to Council at the March 22 meeting regarding numbers of meetings per year and remuneration.
  • I am willing to come to the office to inspect the record, but I’m hoping you will just supply it via email.
  • I understand that the Reeve was taking issue saying it was incorrect. If he would like to send me a separate email with what he feels is incorrect and why he is welcome to do so. 
  • I also understand that meetings will be changed to occuring every 21 days. If there is anything you’d like to add, please let me know. I’ll need to see the record by the end of business today please and thank you.”

March 28, 2022 - by email

  • “How many interests were registered on properties with trailers on them in the RM? Were all properties who have taken out a trailer permit have an interest registered?
  • You said in the meeting that it doesn’t have any financial implications and is different from a lien. What does taking out an interest do? 
  • If you would like to add anything and explain what’s happening with this and the trailer fees please respond by end of today.”

April 14, 2022 - by email

  •  “On Tuesday council voted to approve the rezoning and subdivision of a parcel of land by Cameron Wyatt. It rezones the land from AG to CR1. Residents of Pelican Point were concerned about the access road Wyatt proposed. Does the vote approve the access road where he suggested it go? Can you please explain what will happen next with this? I understand there was some discussion about a service agreement.”
  • The CAO did respond to these questions the same day with a “no comment.”

April 21, 2022 - by email

  • ”Because Councilor Labatte didn’t vote for the third reading of the Council Procedure bylaw change will it be coming back for the third reading at the next meeting?”

June 9, 2022 - to all of Council and the CAO

  • “Hi, Mr. Reeve or anyone on Council and Administration who would like to provide a comment. I am writing a follow-up article on the disagreement between the RM and the RVs. Can you tell me what was it about the proposed agreement the council didn’t like?
  • I understand the offer was more than what the RM initially wanted. What changed?
  • It has been said the RM is acting like a schoolyard bully. Would you like to respond to this?
  • What does the RM want from the RVs? Please explain your position.
  • Why is the RM only focusing on Pelican Point and Island View?
  • Why not Sask Beach or any of the other RVs?”

June 15, 2022 - by email

  • “Can you please confirm the number of submissions and people who spoke for and against the annexation at the time of the public hearing on May 31.
  • During the public hearing, Reeve Schmidt referenced that there are three other, similar annexations occurring in the RM.
  • Can you confirm this, and who is involved in these matters?
  • Will there be additional information sent out to people who asked questions from their submissions?”

June 21, 2022 - by email

  • “During what part of the process of council deciding what to do with their own complaint could they decide whether there should be a third party investigation into the complaint?”

July 4, 2022 - by email

  • “I understand the RM held three special meetings in a row on June 28,29 and 30th. While the RM recently reduced the number of regular meetings, they also added a committee. Why were the three meetings necessary and what were the costs of the 3 special meetings?”

November 24, 2022 - by voicemail

  • I’m writing an article about conflict of interest. I have some questions for you. I have contacted the executive-in-residence at Johnson Shoyama, just about some basic questions, and he supplied a bunch of information on that. I just had a few more questions from you about how it works, if you could give me a call back.

December 1, 2022 - by email

  • I am writing an article about your office not responding to questions on process or clarification. The last time I have a response from you was on March 21, 2022. When we asked a process question, then on April 4, 2022 you responded with “no comment.” Since that time, I have not received a response to questions that I understand are under your purview. Would you like to clarify or respond? My deadline is the end of business tomorrow.
  • Response - “I have been away from the office the past couple of weeks and still am due to an illness. I am only checking my emails sporadically. Your email is a bit vague, what specifically are you asking me to respond to?”
  • Since March 21, 2021 you have not responded to questions from me about RM business either by email or phone call. Can you tell me why that is?

December 02, 2022 - by email

  • “A source has told me that you haven’t been told to not respond, this was your decision.
  • There was one meeting about a tax exemption where you told Council something to the effect that while you had the authority to do something, you were waiting for their direction because any time you did anything, you got in trouble. (from them).
  • Are you, or were you, getting in trouble from anyone on Council, past or present, when you fulfill the duties of your position? Does that have anything to do with why you don’t respond to my questions?”

Editors note: Going forward, LMT will print the questions we have for any Town or RM that go unanswered or ignored for an unreasonable amount of time. As Journalists, we must try to provide as much information as possible to our readers. If any local government body doesn’t answer simple questions when asked, even with a “no comment” response, we will put those questions to their public to consider instead.

Tags