By Thia James

If you’re elected, you’re elected to show up: Mayor

Jan 19, 2015 | 5:40 AM

For the most part, attendance records among members of Prince Albert’s city council improved in 2014 over the previous year.

Last year, three members had perfect records across the board at all meetings: Mayor Greg Dionne, Coun. Tim Scharkowski and Coun. Ted Zurakowski. They each attended all 44 regular and special council meetings, all 20 executive committee meetings and all 21 in camera meetings.

It’s a marked improvement over the previous year, which saw only one member of council achieve perfect all-around attendance. In 2013, Coun. Charlene Miller had that distinction. This year, she still maintained a high-level of attendance, two council meetings, one executive committee and one in camera meeting.

For Prince Albert’s mayor, who didn’t miss any meetings for all of 2014, anyone who’s elected to a public office is elected to show up.

Dionne said it’s not only to carry out duties and responsibilities.

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“I think your No. 1 duty is to show up.”

He said absences affect the debate at meetings strictly because this council is diverse, and each member brings something different to the table.

“And sometimes, when that different piece is missing, you don’t think of that or cross it in your conversation. And then you’re missing out on something,” Dionne said. But the absences haven’t had a negative impact in his view.

One member’s record stood out for having missed the most meetings: Coun. Don Cody. He attended 36 regular and special city council meetings, 15 executive committee meetings and 16 in camera meetings.

Cody’s chair was empty at Monday’s executive committee meeting, the first one of the year.

And on Wednesday, Cody said he is concerned about attendance.

“I like to be at all council meetings. That’s what you’re elected to do,” he said. “But at the same time … it’s not a matter of quantity it’s a matter of quality. I mean, if you make a contribution, a proper contribution while you’re there, I don’t think that there’s much [of a] problem.”

However, he contended that if a member attends all meetings, but doesn’t make a contribution, they haven’t “made it very good.”

He added he isn’t concerned about his absences. “I mean, everybody needs to be absent at some time, whether you’re on a holiday or taking an annual vacation or you’re sick or whatever have you, everybody will miss some time.”

Cody’s absences were due to holidays and being away from the office on other business.

When asked how his views would be heard when he’s absent at meetings, Cody said his iPad is on at all times. He receives all correspondence. He used the example of the Jan. 12 executive committee meeting, saying he made his contribution by way of calling. He communicated with the mayor and others at City Hall that he needed to communicate his views to, he said.

“My views are well known there, no question about that, it’s just that the public won’t know my views. But that’s really not a big problem because I had nothing on that agenda that was that controversial that it would have made any difference.”

In 2015, Cody said he likely won’t miss as many meetings as he did last year. He said he may miss one or two meetings, but he has not made any special commitments.

“I think I’ll be at most of them, like I was last year,” he said, adding he missed a few during the winter, but outside of that attended the meetings.

“I’m fairly diligent when it comes to being at meetings, and at the boards and committees I’m on I don’t miss those meetings unless … there’s something very, very serious [that] happens.”

The mayor said he hopes the issue with absences changes this year. Dionne acknowledged that with meetings held every Monday, it was hard for members of council to plan any sort of extended holiday with their families. As well, he said there will always be absences due to illness or family issues.

What would concern him, however, are absences from quite a few meetings.

Dionne feels the new city council scheduling – with fewer meetings and format changes for the executive committee – will help attendance. He said it will give council more breathing room between meetings.

“We’re going to have more time to read our agendas, study our reports, ask more questions.”

Council preview

There will be a number of items on Monday evening’s agenda, including three applications for proposed group homes in Prince Albert. One of the applications is from Sunshine Haven, a group home for teenaged girls.

The home’s previous application to move to Mahon Drive was rejected by council last fall. If this new application is approved, Sunshine Haven would move to 850 Fifth Street East.

Council will also consider the contract for repairs to the bridge on Highway 55 near Little Red River Park. The bridge was damaged by debris in 2013, after the release of water from the dam near Anglin Lake led to high water flows in the Little Red River.

The debris damaged several piers. The province will cover the full cost of the repairs, and the contract, set to be awarded to Fort Richmond Construction, is worth $179,383.20.

Council will also be look at caretaker renewal agreements for seven facilities, as well as at the Prince Albert Municipal Airport’s 2015 operating and capital budgets.

The airport budget anticipates $1,158,910 in operating revenues, $901,680 in operating expenses, with a surplus of $257,230 that will go towards funding capital expenses.

paNOW’s Thia James will be live-tweeting from Monday evening’s council meeting.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames