The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Question: As the law states that a candidate can be on city council without actually living in Flin Flon, but owning taxable residential or commercial property here, does council have a rule to prevent such candidates from voting on matters that would impact homeowners in the city but not the candidate him/herself (i.e. metering water, raising residential property taxes)? Should it? Mayor Therien: The easy answer to your question is that there is no rule to prevent a councillor/mayor from voting on any issue, regardless of implications, unless there is a clearly defined conflict of interest in the matter at hand. In fact, a councillor/mayor must vote on every issue unless such conflict occurs and only if they declare the conflict to the chair of the meeting. This is what is set out in the Municipal Act and cannot be changed without an actual change in the Act. I understand your concern and, although you raise a legitimate concern, I have to tell you I do not necessarily agree with what you are implying. I firmly believe that the majority of people who run for office do so with the best of intentions and, as such, will make the best decisions they believe possible. * * * Question: Why is the one section of Queen Street in such rough shape? Mayor Therien: Queen Street has been an ongoing problem for as long as I have been here, especially the area I believe you are referring to, high Queen. Why is it in rough shape can be answered by the fact the area was, originally, muskeg. As I have said before, Flin Flon was developed either on rock or on muskeg and each comes with its own unique problems and issues, some of which, like Queen St., pose greater issues than others. The good news is High Queen has been included in the 2010 budget soon to be released. Hopefully, this fix will be the one to work. * * * Send your questions for Mayor Therien to The Reminder by phone at 687-3454, fax at 687-4473, e-mail at [email protected] or standard delivery at "Ask the Mayor", C/O The Reminder, 14 North Avenue, Flin Flon, MB, R8A 0T2. No names are required.
