Renfrew Mayor Tom Sidney not resigning, voices disappointment with council
Mayor of Renfrew Tom Sidney says he’s not going to resign, one day after council approved a motion calling on him to step down from the top political position in the Ottawa Valley town.
In a news release on Wednesday, Sidney expressed disappointment with council, saying the focus was only on two individuals rather than considering the contributing factors that were highlighted by the third party review to investigate and provide answers on the history of the Ma-Te-Way expansion.
“I want to apologise to the residents of Renfrew that the Ma-Te-Way Project was not completed in a manner which was financially acceptable to me and our community," Sidney said in a statement.
"The third-party review showed the need to request good and sound information in all aspects of the town. The Ma-Te-Way Project has shown we did not seek it hard enough and I am sorry for that. The municipal act is very clear in the roles and responsibilities of a councillor and does specifically state a councillor is not permitted to direct staff and the former Senior Management Model made it difficult as they all shared CAO responsibilities there was no one person in-charge."
Mayor Sidney wants the council to focus on establishing processes and templates to complete projects, citing he’s 'committed to working positively with his council as he believes they all have a common goal of learning, correcting and focus on improving the community.'
"I just think it's important that I stand my ground and, you know, the community voted me in, council didn't," he said Wednesday.
Council voted Tuesday 5-1 in support of a motion from Coun. Kyle Cybulski calling on Sidney to "resign immediately." Reeve Peter Emon was the lone vote in opposition to the motion.
In January, members voted 4-3 in favour of a non-confidence motion against Sidney, expressing concerns over the mayor's handling of the expansion to Renfrew's Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre, now known as the myFM Centre. The price tag for the expansion has jumped from $18 million to $35 million.
"I'm disappointed that the mayor's decided to stay on and pursue individual or personal goals at this point," Cybulski said Wednesday. "We've exhausted all our options. We've done what we feel we can do within our rights and our rules that we can. And the town is going to pay the price."
Before being elected mayor, Sidney spearheaded the expansion project for the Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre as chair of the recreation committee.
"Renfrew Town Council call on Mayor Tim Sidney to resign immediately as a way for the Town to move forward and for accountability for the lack of oversight and leadership," Cybulski's motion says.
The motion calling on Sidney to resign came just days after the Town of Renfrew received the findings of the third-party review of the Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre expansion project.
The report from WSCS Consulting says there was a lack of accountability and transparency with the project, a failure to comply with the procedural bylaw, a lack of governance/oversight, "inadequate" financial and project reporting, a toxic work environment, and unrealistic budgets. The report also says there is "ample evidence that suggests" the Parks and Recreation Department engaged in sole/direct source contracts and "questionable tendering incentive practices."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.