MONTAGUE - A heated battle between Mayor Pat McGowan and a rookie councillor led to a stormy adjournment here Tuesday night barely 20 minutes into the agenda of the town's monthly meeting.
It's the first time a town meeting here has ever been shut down in a municipal mutiny in more than 30 years.
Coun. Janice Taylor, armed with a letter validating her claims, once again requested McGowan apologize for squashing her efforts at the January meeting to introduce a motion regarding the new Wellness Centre.
She also requested an apology to the council in writing.
"Don't hold your breath," McGowan said Tuesday night. "You're making this a personal vendetta."
McGowan said Taylor violated Roberts Rules of Order last month but Taylor insisted she was recognized to speak by the mayor and then stymied.
Tuesday night, Taylor pulled out a letter from the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities validating her stand and insisted McGowan respond.
"A councillor is entitled to take the floor upon being recognized," Taylor read in the letter from federation executive director John Chisholm, a former town administrator here.
"The head of a council has no right to suspend a motion."
When McGowan refused to apologize, Taylor called for an adjournment and earned the majority of council consent.
"Guess we won't be paying our bills this month," said a frustrated McGowan as at least three councillors - Taylor, Peter Doucette and Bernie Crawford - left the building.
Not enough councillors remained to form a quorum that would have allowed the public meeting to continue.
The 7 p.m. meeting was over in minutes.
"This has been brewing for some time," said one councillor privately.
"Some are of the opinion that council should not be a monarchy."
Montague town hall standoff shuts down meeting
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Comments
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- Chris S
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:42:27
Deb from NS , I usually don't agree with things you say. Assuming that you are the same Deb I usually see around here. This time I most certainly do.
Often we get the representation soneone else voted for.
STV in Canada Today!
Check out stv.ca for more info on STV in Canada -
- JL
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:41:57
I agree Homer.
We need to abolish the municipal level of government entirely and have a single Island Government.
For 135,000 people and a land mass the same size as Halifax County, we need to get a grip with ourselves and look at the way local government and the provincial government services can be delivered by a single Island Government.
The over-representation and duplication and inefficiency of our current system of government is antiquated and ill-equipped to handle the issues of the 21st century.
Time for CHANGE !!!! -
- speedy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:37:02
Democracy may come back!!!!!
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- christopher
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:35:21
Democracy is not always smooth, but it's always worth it. By the way, I found this story incisive and well written.
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- Do Your Job
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:26:03
I see my previous comment was deleted...not sure why but I find it odd that the mayor gets criticized and a rookie who fails to follow the rules of order is praised. The mayor is under no obligation to allow a councillor to get up and launch a demand for an apology and want to add items to an agenda that was already approved. Why is it the mayor's fault that her councillors (or some of them) act like overtired children?
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- Impressed
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:25:44
Respect must be earned and Janice just earned mine. The Mayor, once again, has embarassed us!
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- jokester
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:22:46
seems like the mayor runs council like a kindergarten sand box.....lol....
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- montague is
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:22:01
Time to elect a new Mayor.Janice Taylor for Mayor.Out with old Pat Mcgowan.
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- Homer
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:20:09
Well it sounds like it is time to get rid of these small municipal Town and and CIC
if i recall there are now 75 small municipalities in this province of ours then you add in our 27 MLA's 4 MP and 4 senators Really a bit much.
The little town of Alberton is nuts and out of control also in this past term they have raised property taxes twice but they are looking at hiring a new rec director and they are can you believe this they are paying up to two thousand dollars just to bring that person here for an interview as if there was money to toss about or at least a person from the island all these councils are out of control -
- little e
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:17:54
Do your Job from PEI - congrats for having the courage to finally speak out and say what many others are thinking. I for one voted for Councillor Taylor - not going to happen again. She's the rookie councillor who is acting like she's been there for years - always trying to make a name for yourself. Sit back Janice and afford others the respect that you think you deserve - remember respect must be earned - start trying to earn it!
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- terry
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:16:35
It makes no difference what the Roberts Rules of Order or a piece of paper from the PEI Federation of Municipalities state. It is quite obvious that council has allowed itself to be part of a personality war. In a demoratically elected body the members must ask themselves if this is what they were elected for or are they to conduct themselves in a manner that is at least one step above a school yard argument.In the meantime you are wasting the taxpayers money by not doing the business of council for which you were elected. Get on with the job.
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- petr
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:13:09
Time for Pat McG to step down...its always been her way or the highway...this council needs some new blood...David Mabon..Peter Doucette-these guys all had their day 25 years ago-bring in some youth!
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- Red
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:02:25
You guys voted, the Mayor in office, no swallow the pill,,,,,LOL
Im a believer , that you get the Representation, you vote for............ -
- B
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:57:59
If the topic Taylor wanted to make a motion about wasn't on the agenda anywhere, her motion could be ruled out of order. She would then need to either make a motion to have the agenda amended or put her topic on the next meetings' agenda. The rules of ORDER are there for a reason--to keep ORDER.
If Taylor didn't believe her motion was out of order, she could have challenged the chair's ruling--this challenge and how to handle it would also be included in the rules of order...
The rules are there and should be used--because you don't know or understand them doesn't make it OK to hold up the business of the council. --strange that the majority of council let her... -
- Do Your Job
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:56:56
Homer - Oddly enough it seems that the motion that Taylor was so anxious to get on the table involved hiring a rec director for Montague...uh, why not wait until there is a wellness center -- or why not look into a regional director such as is being hired in Eastern Kings County. Taxpayers in a small town cannot afford to be hiring on a whim just because a new councillor wants to do something extravagant for the community. A sensible mayor suggests that this is not the time for a motion to hire a rec director and Coun. Taylor wants an apology....for what? Showing common sense.
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- Old Tory
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:52:43
Congratulations to Janice Taylor for standing up to Pat McGowan. I have no idea why the people of Montague ever elected McGowan mayor, she has always been a detriment to getting anything sensible done in Montague. I hope Janice runs for Mayor. Ms McGowan, it is time for you to resign.
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- Joanne
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:52:40
John Dewey is the federation executive director. John Chisholm is the with Dept of Municipal Affairs.
Who wrote the letter -- Dewey or Chisholm? Inquiring minds want to know. -
- our mayor needs to go
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:50:24
Mayor McGowan is an embarassment to our community. Seriously - she has to go. She's on a POWER TRIP that needs to end!
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- Deb
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:48:13
Red Nex - I'm a believer that a lot of the time you get the representation that someone else voted for.
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- heather
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:44
The role of the chairperson is to run the meeting in an orderly fashion. The chairperson does not take part in discussions. The chairperson is to give each councillor the chance to speak to issues. Community Affairs should have a yearly class to instruct chairpersons and councillors how to conduct a meeting. Most of these people have a desire to work for the betterment of their community, but lack experience in how to effectively run a meeting. Councils should remember there is no I in team, and no place for personality conflicts.
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- 88
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:44:41
petr from pei i agree 100%
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- on the outside looking in
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:38:18
Gee ... ...I wonder why there is a council at all if the mayor can push them aside an not let them introduce motions. Seems as tho the rookie has no prob digging out the facts - Sounds like a leader that montague needs to me. (also wondering if maybe someone doesn't like what in the motion) ...and no, I'm not eligible to vote in the town elections
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- Larry
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:38:01
Mayor, I believe it's time for you to pass the chair to your deputy and give notice of resignation.
I'm sure you believe in your own mind that you are doing the right thing, but thats not the case.
For you to stay any longer would be an embaressment all around. -
- PEI Democrat
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:37:21
This is not an isolated incident. There are other chairpersons of councils on the Island whose actions mirror those of Mayor McGowan. Perhpas if more people attended Council meetings and demanded transparency, accountablity and responsibility from the elected chairpersons we would have more councillors like Janicer Taylor and less like Pat McGowan and more of a democracy and less of a dictatorship at the municipal level of government. I urge every resident to attend council meetings and to decide if their council chairperson is upholding the baiic principles of democracy. If not, then do something about it
