Rideau Lakes council vote to overturn Mayor Hoogenboom's veto failed May 28. Grant Deme photo
The vote to override Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom’s veto over the Chantry municipal office retrofit tender failed Wednesday.
The vote took place in front of a packed gallery. Staff brought out extra chairs to accommodate the overflow.
On his way in to the meeting, some supporters shouted, “Stay strong, Arie!” in the municipal office’s parking lot.
Councillor Ron Pollard was the effective swing vote, as councillors in favour of overturning the veto pleaded their case to him.
In an interview after the contentious meeting, Pollard explained to myFM why he stuck by the mayor.
In order for a mayor’s veto to be overturned, a new tool given to over 200 Ontario municipalities through the province’s Strong Mayor Powers initiative, councils must secure two-thirds votes.
In Rideau Lakes that means six of eight councillors have to vote in favour of reversing Hoogenboom’s decision. They had secured five.
Councillors Jeff Banks, Paula Banks, Sue Dunfield, Deborah Anne Hutchings, and Linda Carr voted in favour of overturning the veto. Councillor Marcia Maxwell alongside Pollard sided with Hoogenboom.
Pollard said he’s not against retrofitting the building in Chantry or building new elsewhere, he just feels it’s not a good fiscal decision right now.
The opposing argument is that putting the project out to tender does not mean they would move forward with a build, they’re simply seeking a costing.
Councillor Jeff Banks said they could receive tenders back and determine it’s too expensive, and there’s no sense in pursuing the option further.
Pollard contends that could be burning some bridges.
Hoogenboom told myFM Tuesday that if his veto were to be overturned and a tender was eventually awarded, he would veto that as well.
Shortly after the motion failed, Councillor Paula Banks introduced a new motion to secure legal advice around Hoogenboom’s use of strong mayor powers, as she and other councillors contest he used them improperly.
We’ll have more on that Friday.
Story by Grant Deme