Nepotism and Conflict of Interest Alive & Well in Kearney

Also from the June 15th council meeting:

The fictional "Ethical Wealth Corporation" (aka Proudfooter Tim Brown) is seeking a minor variance less than a year after obtaining rezoning. The resolution to support the variance was moved by Councillor Steve Sainsbury and seconded by Councillor Barry Dingwall. Brown was Sainsbury's and Dingwall's campaign manager in the last election but, once again, neither councillor declared a conflict of interest. 

However, because of environmental concerns expressed by the public at the meeting, Mayor Tomlinson was forced to defer the application. So much for ramming that one through, eh boys?  And what’s with Town Planner Linda Moyer, who seemed more determined to support the application than Mr. Brown’s lackey Scott Richards.

And...

Mr. Cameron Wadsworth, husband of Deputy Mayor Louise Wadsworth, and close friend of Councillor Sainsbury, was appointed to the Environmental and By-Law Advisory Committee. Wadsworth and Sainsbury did not declare a conflict and participated in the vote to accept. We guess a little more nepotism won’t hurt a town that's being killed off anyway. But don't be surprised if Tim Brown's environmental concerns suddenly go away.

Are you surprised? ...at all?

Speaking of Policy Issues

How many times has this council had to back track on stupid policy decisions?

• Limiting the number of volunteers on committees, then denied doing it.
• Stealing funds out of Dog Sled and Regatta reserves to help balance the 2011 budget, then forced to put them back when caught by the auditor.
• Making seniors clear snow from the town's sidewalks in a bylaw passed April 2011, then rescinded September 2011.
• Recklessly ramming the 2012 budget through in December 2011, then having to table a new 2012 budget at the June 15th council meeting with mysterious new revenues of $1.5 million magically appearing. (see next item)
• Council now trying to steal funds from the Historical Society and Ball Diamond Charity Fund, neither of which belong to the town. How long do you think it will be before they have to give that back?
• Septic Inspection Program introduced to raise $10,500 per year in revenue, then backtracked after public outcry over abuse.
• Blitz on old Building Permits to find "missing" Final Inspections and then charge $150 to do another. This has finally been scrapped and for those who have paid: Demand a refund! Why should you pay the town to do something you already paid to have done?
• Regatta 2012 Street Dance killed (after several attempts by Tomlinson et al to kill Regatta altogether). The Street Dance funds Regatta, so likely the 2012 Regatta will lose money and need to dip into Reserves. When the Reserves are gone, then what?

But the Proudfoot property-owners associations still yell long and loud that Paul Tomlinson is doing a great job!

Are you surprised?

Sainsbury Cuts Through Tomlinson's B.S.

Kearney's CBO Henry Hess continues to trespass on residents’ properties in an effort to drum up revenue to pay his huge salary. One senior Kearney resident, during Question Period, complained that CBO Hess showed up on his property unannounced to "investigate a rumour that the resident had a trailer". As we predicted would happen, Hess then used the opportunity to inspect the gentleman’s structures, and (surprise, surprise) declared that no Final Inspection was on record and a $150 fee would have to be paid. Other demands were made regarding the resident’s patio and setbacks. The resident asked council why he should be paying again for a Final Inspection since he paid for it when the Permit was issued by the Town of Kearney.

In response to the resident’s complaint, the Mayor trotted out the same old, Too bad, so sad. The Building Code prevents council from reining in their pit-bull.

In response to the Mayor Paul Tomlinson's continuous stream of never-ending bullsh*t, these are not Building Code issues, these are behavioural and policy issues. Councillor Sainsbury, who knows bullsh*t when he hears it, stepped in and stated that Hess will be directed by council to cease and desist on the $150 Final Inspection scam.

Videotaping and Abusive Behaviour Addressed by Council

Two major issues discussed at the May 25th council meeting were videotaping and inappropriate behaviour. Both issues stem from the budget meeting where the former mayor's son was threatened with arrest when he tried to videotape the meeting, Mayor Paul Tomlinson's childish behaviour, and Councillor Sainsbury's unprovoked statement of "You're disgusting" and other comments to a member of the public. What videotape could be taken is available here in 5 parts. Mayor Tomlinson and Councillor Dingwall were both conspicuously absent from the May 25th meeting.

In their absence, Deputy Mayor Louise Wadsworth tabled the issue of videotaping with the intent to strike down the town's previous policy of allowing it. She quickly back-pedaled though, when the public asked her what council was trying to hide, and proposed that anyone wanting to record the meeting could ask permission and council would vote. Councillor Ken Ball disagreed entirely, saying that council needs to be open and transparent. But, he suggested that anyone recording the meeting should at least let council know. In other words, not secretly videotape people a la Mayor Tomlinson.

Councillor Steve Sainsbury recalled when he and Barry Dingwall petitioned the previous council to take videotaping a step further and stream live meetings on the internet, and spoke out in defense of Jeff Johnston Jr.'s actions:

“Anyone should be able to come to any meeting without fearing conflict or reprisal. We’ll be introducing recordings of meetings in the recommended changes. We have the technology to make official audio recordings of council meetings that the public can access. I’d like to have the meetings available online but we’ll take it one step at a time.”

"I'm not crazy. Just ask my toaster."

The behaviour of Mayor Tomlinson and Councillor Dingwall at the budget meeting was also addressed in an amendment to council's Code of Conduct further defining abusive or threatening actions to include:

“use of indecent, threatening, abusive, belittling, insulting or offensive words or gestures, profanity or unparliamentarily language in or against the Council or against any member, staff, guest or individual.”

In the future, they could face:

“immediate expulsion from meetings or to be subject to an immediate vote of censure and expulsion from the meeting.”

While it's heartening to see that there are still right-thinking members of council that recognize the need for openness and transparency, and who will not tolerate grossly inappropriate behaviour by our mayor and council, it's still disheartening to see that it requires by-laws to maintain decency and democracy in Kearney.

In the meantime, Jeff Johnston Jr. has never received an apology from council for being wrongfully ejected from the budget meeting and is still barred from the Kearney Community Centre under threat of arrest for trespassing.

Are you surprised?

Tomlinson's CBO Also Gets Paid To Sleep

Not only does Kearney's CBO get paid mileage, but apparently also gets paid to sleep and gets to go home early. Here's just one of the emails we've received:

First off I want to start off by saying I am not writing this to bash the Mayor.
People of Kearney, both year round and seasonal, need to come together and understand that we currently have a CBO that is not doing his job.
I travel a fair distance every day to go to work(about the same as Mr. Hess). I meet him every afternoon between 3:15 and 3:35. Some days I even catch him either taking a nap or pulled off the road just sitting in truck.
At first nothing was thought of it until I was informed that his hours are supposed to be the same as the town staff(8:30-4:30).
As a result I passed him by today at 3:20, returned home and proceeded to call the town office where I was informed that he was out doing site inspections. This was the second time I was told this but this time I told the lady that he was not out in the field but heading home, unless he does inspections in Orrville. I was immediately greeted with silence.
I could understand going home once or twice early but, with the exception of meetings in Kearney, he is going home early every day.
Should we be paying for a CBO that chooses to work his own hours yet get paid a full time wage?
Everyone remember YOUR taxes are paying for him.

Bill Tonge

Are you surprised?

Proudfoot Still Proud

Tomlinson puppeteer and Proudfoot land baron, J. Robert S. Pritchard recently wrote:

I for one fully support Mayor Tomlinson and Council and wish the former mayor would gracefully retire instead of bringing provocative and unfounded claims forward to undermine our duly elected representatives. He lost. Others won. He should be quiet.

Rob Prichard

But Mr. Pritchard, in an earlier email, also told us:

...we pay taxes on four cottages, 13 lots on Sand Lake and a 100 acre property on Little Loon which is not a small bill.

We imagine Tomlinson's 9.5% municipal tax reduction on 4 cottages, 13 lots, and 100 acres of lake-front property probably adds up to a pile of cash back in Rob's pocket. So what if there's no money for the library, the food bank, Christmas food baskets, etc. So, be quiet, Former Mayor Johnston! And keep up the good work, Current Mayor Paul Tomlinson!

Surprised yet?