The embattled Sechelt council is asking for help.
Following a discussion at the July 30 regular meeting of council, regarding the 2024 Cuff governance audit, District of Sechelt council voted to request assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs to help resolve some of the issues and conflicts highlighted in the report.
However, in the final wording of the motion, it was agreed reference to the Cuff report would be removed from the formal request.
The audit, which Sechelt requested in February 2024 and conducted by George B Cuff & Associates Ltd. between Feb. 26 and June 25 of that same year, aimed to reestablish respectful dialogue in and outside of council chambers and the district office. The 176-page report, lightly redacted when first released, is now available in its entirety.
Recommendations
At the meeting, Lindsay Roberts, director of corporate and community services, reminded council an implementation plan was discussed last September.
“And so, it's before you tonight for transparency to let you know what we have done and what is still outstanding,” said Roberts. “There are 26 recommendations in front of you tonight that have not been completed or [are] on hold and we're just looking for discussion or direction on the remaining recommendations.”
Roberts added for the sake of transparency, the cost of the audit was $48,216, a figure not scheduled to be released publicly until the district’s budget report in 2026.
‘Turmoil’
According to the audit, the problems council has faced since its outset in 2022 have become more entrenched over time. It called for a change in approach from council and senior management, including the chief administrative officer (CAO), and a “sincere effort” to overcome obstacles created through misunderstood roles and mayoral authority.
When it comes to dysfunction, the audit provided insight into what it could have looked like if council had been operating as expected since its election in 2022. The audit summarizes, “This Council has spent far too much time and nervous energy trying to cope with the internal turmoil which has and will handicap their efforts in moving the needle on anything new that some or even all would like to accomplish.
“This ‘turmoil’ is the result of the poor relationship between the mayor and councillors, which began shortly after the election and has continued to this date and the totally inadequate level of respect and trust between the mayor and CAO,” the report said.
Outside assistance
At the July 30 meeting, Coun. Adam Shepherd said he counted 44 recommendations in the report that have yet to be completed. Roberts explained some items have been deemed “incomplete, on hold or completed,” which could account for the confusion. Items considered completed are not included within the 26 items.
“Thank you for that. I mean, it's crazy to spend $40,000 and then not move ahead with most of the recommendations,” said Shepherd. “It appears to me that anything that our senior management had to do, they did. What's not happened is the sections pertaining to the mayor, or the mayor and the CAO, or council.”
Shepherd told council he’s doubtful anything will be resolved without outside assistance.
“If we haven't to date, then we're not going to break this log jam," said Shepherd as he proposed contacting the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs and bringing in a mediator. "They have experience dealing with difficult situations that are occurring amongst some councils,” said Shepherd. “It's the only other thing I can think of to try and get through where we are or we're not going to make progress on the rest of the resolutions, and I'm just desperately trying to think of other measures."
Public apology
Coun. Brenda Rowe said she does not want to spend the summer thinking about the report.
“For me, it's pretty cut and dried and the report was pretty clear that what the number one recommendation was that the mayor would issue an apology and that hasn't happened,” said Rowe. “I don't necessarily look at these in isolation of that. What I would be most interested [in] though, is that work is completed that would set the stage for the next council.
"That's the most important thing for me.
"I think everybody, from the local coffee shops, to the news outlets, has recognized that the District of Sechelt is experiencing issues at the table and at this point, with a year left, I think it's a bit of a fantasy to think those are going to go away –– not to say that we shouldn't be working on things that we can complete within our term," said Rowe.
Mayor John Henderson said he rejects the “categorization that I've not apologized" and pointed to an email he sent council in June 2024.
Re-iterating an assertion he's made in the past, the mayor added there may be some issues that can’t be discussed publicly, but are still affecting council's ability to move forward. “This one is very awkward, but there may be other confidential matters. Those are things we can't discuss, but they've impacted our ability to move forward,” said Henderson.
On asking for the ministry to appoint someone, Henderson said he doesn't know how it works. "I don't know how that person is selected."
"I totally agree we have to figure out how we're going to get things done for Sechelt… [but] I don't feel comfortable supporting the agreement at this stage, simply because I'm not aware of how it works."
The motion to request assistance from a municipal advisor from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs was approved by council, with the exception of the mayor.
