(Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

Provincial enquiry

Concerns raised over certification of Village of Pinehouse CAO

Nov 28, 2019 | 5:19 PM

One of the activists who has brought serious financial and governance concerns to light about the northern Village of Pinehouse wants the provincial government to fire the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) there.

D’Arcy Hande, a Saskatoon-based researcher, claims Martine Smith isn’t qualified for her role and suggests her position with the village is a result of nepotism. Smith refutes that insinuation.

Hande’s latest activism follows years of Freedom of Information requests he sent regarding the affairs of the village which prompted a scathing report from the province’s Privacy and Information Commissioner. That in turn ultimately led to a full financial and operational enquiry by the province. The report into that enquiry is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Last month, Hande was advised by the Urban Municipal Administrators’ Association of Saskatchewan (UMAAS) – the body which certifies administrators – that Smith’s conditional certificate as the village’s administrator had expired Sept. 30 and her membership with the association would expire Dec. 31. The correspondence from UMAAS did not give reasons for the revocation of Smith’s certificate.

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“It seems quite obvious [Smith] is struggling with the demands of her job,” Hande told paNOW. “It’s her job to guide the mayor and council about what is and isn’t acceptable as far as legislation is concerned in the village. She is there to work in the interests of the people of Pinehouse.”

In a letter to the minister of government relations, Hande said “one has to wonder, if she were not the mayor’s step-daughter, would she have remained in place as long as she has.”

paNOW asked Smith for her response to Hande’s claim of nepotism.

“I don’t think that is very accurate,” she said. “I had been the acting administrator in 2006 and 2007 before I even got this position, so I have a history with the village office prior to being employed by them this time. It’s fair enough for him [Hande] to say what he says, but I don’t believe that to be true.”

The Saskatoon StarPhoenix newspaper reported last year, reporters reviewed an initial report by Inspector Neil Robertson in which he recommended the village’s Mayor Mike Natomagen and Coun. Conrad Misponas be removed from their positions for failure to perform their duties.

Robertson left his role to take up a position with the Court of Queen’s Bench with Justice William Vancise taking over the probe. Hasan Akhtar, an expert on northern municipal matters, was sent to Pinehouse to provide assistance, support and guidance to the local council.

Pinehouse CAO ‘overwhelmed’

Asked why she had her administrator’s certification revoked by UMAAS, Smith told paNOW she was due to have her office inspection report done in September where she hoped her certification would be extended. However, the enquiry by the province had been demanding on her.

“I’m waiting for this whole process to be over in order to do what I can with my membership with them, “she said. “Right now I didn’t feel able to move forward with that process because of being overwhelmed.” Smith said. She told paNOW previously she didn’t have the resources to cope with the abundance of Freedom of Information requests the village had been sent over the years.

As for the ongoing enquiry, Smith said she believed the village had been able assist in the process but added they would not give any statements until everything was complete.

In an email to paNOW the Government of Saskatchewan said it “was confident in the actions being taken to address the concerns raised by the provincial privacy commissioner around the northern Village of Pinehouse, and looks forward to the final report from Justice Vancise regarding the inquiry. Until the report on the village inquiry is completed, it would be inappropriate for the province to intervene further at this time.”

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow