The chair for the Div. 5 councillor at the RM of Prince Albert meetings has remained vacant since February. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Council Business

RM council votes to cut pay for absent councillor

Jul 15, 2020 | 4:41 PM

Editor’s note: This story has been amended from a previous version on July 15, to include points of clarification from Councillor Wayne Acorn.

Wayne Acorn, Div. 5 councillor for the Rural Municipality (RM) of Prince Albert, has missed the last five meetings, all the while collecting his monthly $400 remuneration cheque.

At council’s meeting last Thursday they put a stop to that, and a resolution was passed stating that in order for a council member to be paid, they need to provide Administrator Roxanne Roy with their monthly remuneration sheet.

“I do not have a remuneration sheet for him therefore I will not be paying him [for July],” Roy told paNOW on Wednesday.

The standoff between Acorn and council dates back to council’s February meeting. Acorn was removed from the meeting, after allegedly making threatening gestures toward the reeve, thereby constituting a code of ethics breach.

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A motion passed by council the same day, declared Acorn was suspended from representing the RM of Prince Albert No. 461 on any and all committees, bodies and association until such time that he attend and complete educational training for ethical and respectful conduct.

Acorn was also ordered to present a verbal and written apology to the reeve, council and administration at a regular RM council meeting.

One of the first items on the agenda at the March, April, May, June, July meetings has been the opportunity for Acorn to address the incident, but he has not shown up. Administrator Roxanne Roy told paNOW she has received no explanation.

“The only thing he has told us is that he doesn’t consider himself a Div. 5 councillor, because we took his powers away from him however council does not have powers, they have privileges,” she explained.

According to the Municipalities Act, councils do not have the authority to simply fire an absent councillor. Rather they must write up and vote on a resolution, which then goes to a judge for a final decision. Roy explained no such resolution has been considered at this time, adding the division five seat is up for election in November.

“Once we go to court we are talking about thousands of dollars of rate payer money, that I don’t think is needed at this time,” she said.

During a phone conversation with paNOW, Acorn said he has no plans to resign, but has no issue with the request to apologize.

“I said I would apologize if I offended anybody by cocking my wrist, but I am not taking anger management because they all need to take it,” he said.

According to Acorn, the alleged incident which sparked the issue, involved him clenching his fist at Reeve Eric Schmalz while passing by him, prior to leaving the room at the February meeting.

“That was all I did. I didn’t say anything,” he said. “I was walking out the door because I was mad and I was taking a breather.”

With regard to the money he was paid, Acorn explained to paNOW he did try to refuse the money last March, because he did not made a claim for any of it.

“I didn’t ask for it but they said I had to take it. That’s what Roxanne told me in the office in March,” he said.

Acorn, who has hired a lawyer, was also asked by paNOW if he has any plans to return to council meetings.

“I honestly don’t see the lawyers getting through this until after the election but you know what, the lawyers are still going to be [involved] if I am there and if I am not,” he said.

Reeve Eric Schmalz declined to respond to Acorn’s comments, and explained the reason is because the matter is currently under investigation by the Prince Albert Police Service.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell