The election of a new councillor has the mayor hopeful that council can learn to get along.
Nolan Crouse urged council members on Monday to take the opportunity of Bob Russell’s election to see past old difficulties and work together. Many members of the public ask for this, and both staff and council members yearn for it, he said.
“I am expected to be a leader amongst equals and I am here to help with that function,” he said. “Where we can find middle ground on matters, rather than divided ground, we need to do that.”
Crouse said he spoke with Russell about helping with unifying council “as he is new and offers that possibility within chambers.” He also asked Councillors Tim Osborne and Wes Brodhead for help and he and others may be able “to lean on them” at times.
While he asked councillors to raise the level of respect amongst each other, he also emphasized the need for the full respect of staff members. Administration and governors should be able to work together, and ask each other for advice, he said.
“If we have a positive culture in these chambers we will all get more done,” he said. “And conversely if we have a culture of fear it can result in padded timelines or padded cost estimates and positive dialogue turns into information requests for fear of getting something not 100 per cent correct.”
Crouse then spoke on several topics that may stir debate in the coming months and years. These included finding a compromise on the utility rate matter, discussing new facility models, debating several new developments, and addressing “years of no economic development policy.”
They will also have to make provincial advocacy decisions now that a new government was elected, he said. He then asked administration to get caught up on motions and directions that have been pushed back in recent weeks.
“There are examples where we have made promises or commitments to others in the community or the region and when we push something back, we can be seen as breaking promises made to others,” he said.
In summary, Crouse said each of them could do something to improve their time in chambers together.
He cited examples such as improving committee attendance, submitting reports, expense accounts and information requests on time, and using staff to ensure they are thorough.
They can share airtime in council chambers better, and refrain from speaking publicly against a motion made. They can also balance their workload so important topics can be addressed earlier, he said.
“Everyone, we have all heard it, we have all felt it, and I believe the community is demanding otherwise,” he said. “We simply need to demonstrate to the world that we are above all this and we are clearly getting down to serious business that is in front of us.”
