ATHABASCA — Since even before the sudden departure of Ryan Maier as CAO of Athabasca County there was a rift between councillors which has become more apparent after his resignation culminating in a dramatic if anti-climactic vote to remove reeve Larry Armfelt from his role at council's Sept. 29 meeting.
For several months there have been two factions forming on council with Coun. Christi Bilsky, Coun. Dwayne Rawson, and Coun. Dennis Willcott on one side and Coun. Travais Johnson, Coun. Penny Stewart, Coun. Doris Splane, Coun. Kevin Haines and Armfelt on the other, and the splinter became more contentious and obvious after Maier’s resignation right before the scheduled June 24 council meeting.
At the June 24 meeting Armfelt allowed no discussion around the resignation nor appointing Director of Agriculture and Community Services Dawn Phillips to the role of interim CAO, citing the Municipal Government Act and Robert’s Rules of Order.
“If you're refusing to answer my questions, then obviously, I'm gonna have to say no because you will not answer my questions, and yes, I will be bringing this up with Municipal Affairs, because you're not answering questions,” said Rawson at the time.
Bilsky, Willcott and Rawson have brought up questions about the events at every meeting since, either officially or as side comments, but at the Sept. 29 meeting a motion was made following an in-camera session under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) by Bilsky to remove Armfelt as reeve, less than a month ahead of the municipal election.
Section 17 reads, “A public body must refuse to disclose personal information if disclosure would be an unreasonable invasion of a third party's personal privacy.”
However, motions must be made as part of the public record and as soon as council came out of the closed session Bilsky made the motion to remove Armfelt with a recorded vote and the vote split along the exact same lines with Bilsky, Willcott and Rawson on one side and the remainder of council on the other.
All three councillors declined to talk about what was said in-camera.
“We made a motion and we recorded it and I’m going to leave it at that,” Willcott said.
Rawson echoed the comments simply saying, “I can’t talk about it” but added anyone could use their imagination as to why.
"I have no comment, all the conversation was in-camera, and I respect the decision of council," said Bilsky.
Armfelt seems to have taken it all in stride, noting he also cannot divulge what was said in-camera.
"The reason for it, well she's got her reasons for (making the motion)," he said Oct. 3. "I'II will never speculate on what somebody else does because they obviously they have their own agenda."
Armfelt will remain reeve, and all councillors hold their roles, until the new council is sworn in at the first regular meeting following the Oct. 18 election.
– with files from Chris Zwick
