Not playing nicely. A debate about conflict resolution highlighted the underlying tensions around the P.A. council table.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

disagreement and conflict

P.A. city council bickers about conflict resolution training

Aug 19, 2019 | 8:54 PM

In an extraordinary debate that laid bare some of the tension around the municipal political table, Prince Albert city council has decided to spend $3,000 to employ a professional to give them a course on conflict resolution.

The idea put forward by Mayor Greg Dionne at Monday’s regular council meeting didn’t sit well with half of the city’s decision-makers.

It’s no secret some of the members of council have been embroiled in personal conflict, some of it spilling into the public domain, online and even into the courts.

Dionne told council the course in conflict resolution would not only help with inter-councillor dealings but also help them with difficult interactions with the public.

During the debate councillor Evert Botha, who is being sued by Dionne in a bitter ethics battle, said some councillors took matters and conflicts discussed in the council chamber “very personally …when they could have been solved with a simple cup of coffee.” He questioned why the mayor was proposing spending taxpayer dollars on such training now.

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Dionne responded that he thought the training would be an important part of ongoing education so “councillors could learn to get along better” and not allow matters to get into social media, something he said he did not partake in.

Councillor Don Cody supported the idea of the training saying it was necessary.

“I’ve heard from a lot of people who tell me this is the most dysfunctional council they’ve ever seen. What’s wrong here, why don’t we trust each other? We barely say hello in fact. I don’t understand it,” he said. “We were elected to do what we can for the citizens in a cohesive way.”

Cody agreed this council was dysfunctional, but speaking to paNOW after the debate Dionne did not share that assessment.

“Do we get along? I agree with that part, but ‘dysfunctional’ I’ll disagree with because we’re continuing to move the city’s business forward,” he said. “We are having issues with council members but at the same time I’ve sat in on one of these courses. It really helped me in dealing with [matters] when the residents are on the phone. It teaches you to remain calm when they’re yelling and swearing at you.”

The four councillors who voted against the conflict resolution education were: Evert Botha, Charlene Miller, Dennis Ogrodnick and Dennis Nowoselsky. Those who voted in favour were: Don Cody, Terra Lennox-Zepp, Blake Edwards and Ted Zurakowski. Mayor Dionne broke the tie in favour.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow