Rideau Lakes council’s attempt to overturn Mayor Arie Hoogenboom’s veto failed this week.
For a second time, the mayor issued a veto through strong mayor powers to prevent the Chantry office retrofit project moving to tender, and for the second time an override attempt fell one vote short.
Councillor Jeff Banks repeated his and other members long-standing talking point about the drawings.
Council tried and fail to overturn Hoogenboom’s first veto in May, with Councillor Ron Pollard the swing vote in that instance.
This time it was Councillor Dustin Bulloch, still settling into his role after winning the Ward 3 by-election in late June.
Bulloch campaigned against strong mayor powers, but agreed with Hoogenboom this project isn’t right for the township.
That’s the reason he told council he backed the mayor.
He also disagreed with the idea that the tender process is to just get a costing estimate, contending they already have one.
A Class A estimate is a very preliminary costing provided in the early stages of a project’s lifespan.
Councillor Sue Dunfield called out Hoogenboom’s refusal to move forward.
Hoogenboom repeated his familiar talking points when addressing council, expressing his belief a new or renovated office in Chantry is not beneficial to taxpayers given its location.
Councillor Paula Banks also repeated hers, sticking to her opinion that the mayor improperly used strong mayor powers in this instance, as their intended use is for “provincial priorities,” specifically around affordable housing.
Council already passed a motion to pursue legal options against Hoogenboom following his first veto implementation.
Story by Grant Deme