Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne brought down the gavel and called community member Jeri Patterson out of order before requesting a recess and phoning for the police to remove Patterson during the May 18 regular council meeting.
The incident ended when Patterson removed herself from council chambers after repeatedly stating she had a right to speak to council.
Patterson had interrupted councillors with her remarks while council was voting on whether or not to place a notice on title on Patterson’s property.
She maintains her property on Norwest Bay Road is in the ALR and designated a farm property, so Sechelt’s rules don’t apply to her. Patterson has kept detailed records that she says demonstrate how she’s been dealt with unfairly by Sechelt’s bylaw enforcement officers over the years.
The problems stem back to 2009 when a building permit for the construction of an animal kennel on the subject property was issued, according to a staff report from building official John Hardt.
The permit was valid for two years and two renewals were allowed. Ultimately the permit lapsed and a new building permit to complete construction was not taken out.
“To date this permit remains incomplete,” a report from Hardt stated.
“According to notes in the file, the last inspection was in June 2009 and it appears that the building is being occupied without having received an occupancy permit.”
In addition, the report said that during a field visit in April of 2009 a shed was found to be built without a permit.
Patterson took ownership of the property in December of 2009, after the building permit had been issued.
“The registered owner was contacted again (through email) in February of 2016 by the building official who requested that she contact the building department within 30 days to address the outstanding issues associated with the expired building permit,” the report from Hardt read.
The issues were not addressed to staff’s satisfaction and a recommendation was given to council to file a notice on title for Patterson’s property to alert potential buyers of the “outstanding issues.”
As is the protocol, Patterson was given an opportunity to speak to the issue at an April 13 council meeting, where she spoke about her concerns for just under 34 minutes before council cut her off, as Milne reminded her that speakers are generally allowed up to 15 minutes to speak. Patterson said she had more to present and council agreed to take that information as a form of correspondence.
Then, at the May 18 meeting, councillors were set to vote on whether or not to place the notice on Patterson’s property, but she spoke up from the audience.
“I’d like to speak, please,” Patterson said, to which Milne replied, “No.”
“Section 57 allows me to be heard,” Patterson said repeatedly.
Milne became visibly upset with Patterson’s persistence and told her she was out of order.
“I’ll ask you once more or we’ll phone the RCMP and ask you to be taken out,” Milne said, but Patterson kept speaking.
“Jeri, you’re out of order. This meeting is in recess,” Milne said, striking his gavel, before all members of council got up from their seats and left the meeting room.
Patterson sat in the council chambers for a few minutes before deciding to leave on her own.
Once council reconvened, councillors unanimously approved putting a notice on Patterson’s title.
Milne said there were avenues for Patterson to take if she didn’t like the process undertaken by council and he apologized for his outburst.
“I’m sorry to have had to call a community member out of order,” Milne said.
“In my time in the mayor’s office I’ve only called a meeting out of order a couple of times and the first time it was a councillor.”
