Municipal Affairs has completed its preliminary review of the dealings of the Village of Carbon and has opted not to move forward with an inspection.
In July of this year, the Mail reported a petition instigated by the residents of Carbon for an inspection into the affairs of the village was deemed to be sufficient. With this completed, Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver, requested ministry staff to conduct a preliminary review.
In a letter dated August 25 to Mayor Bryan Peever, the Minister thanked the Village for its cooperation, but ultimately said they would not be going forward with an inspection.
“…concerns raised by petitioners indicate discontent with decisions of council; however, there was no indication that council is acting beyond its legislated authority,” states the letter from McIver. “Municipal inspections are an extraordinary measure and I do not undertake lightly. In light of the findings of the preliminary review and out of respect for the jurisdiction of the courts, as well as the democratic role of locally elected officials, I have decided not to conduct a municipal inspection into the Village of Carbon.”
While the Minster decided against an inspection, he notes there are some concerns brought forward that require some attention.
“The review identified some areas of concern, including the conduct of the 2021 general election and allegations of misconduct surrounding a councillor's employment status with the village and/or pecuniary interest,” the letter states. “Both of these concerns have clear legislated rules through the Local Authority Elections Act and the Municipal Government Act, respectively that give the courts jurisdiction to determine the validity of such concerns and order appropriate remedies if necessary.”
The Minister recommends some training may help.
“To address the concerns brought forward by the petitioners relating to municipal procedures and council's responsibilities, I strongly recommend the village access a roles and responsibilities workshop conducted by ministry staff during a meeting open to the public. This session will provide important transparency and accountability to residents in the village’s fulfillment of the role of governance and operations. It will also ensure all members of council and senior administration have a common understanding of the integral respective roles needed for a thriving community.”
