Despite Bud Massey’s resignation as Westlock County reeve, a resident’s offer to fund a Div. 4 byelection is still on the table.
At council’s July 26 meeting, resident Stuart Fox-Robinson called for Massey’s resignation as both reeve and councillor and said he’d pick up the tab for the subsequent Div. 4 byelection, pegged at about $5,000.
“I’m going to offer to pay for that byelection so that the Westlock County residents are not on the hook for any costs incurred,” Fox-Robinson said.
“You (Massey) can run, if you so desire, another candidate could run, if they so desire.”
Following Massey’s resignation as reeve following the July 26 meeting, Fox-Robinson said the offer still stands.
“I don’t see any reason why not because frankly, I don’t believe for one minute that he’d do it,” Fox-Robinson said.
“I don’t have any reason why I wouldn’t be prepared to stay the course with that.”
When contacted by the Westlock News Massey said he would not accept the challenge citing strong support of Div. 4 residents.
“I have received many phone calls from many Div. 4 residents and they would prefer that I stay on,” Massey said.
“They want the truth to come out.”
At the July 26 meeting Fox-Robinson added that if Massey calls for the byelection and wins, he’d publicly apologize to him.
“I will take out a full page ad in the Westlock News apologizing to you and I shall further donate $10,000 to the charity of your choice,” Fox-Robinson said.
“I believe I’m somewhat confident. So Mr. Massey, will you call for that byelection?”
Massey, however, did not offer any response at the meeting.
“I will not be answering your questions today,” Massey said to jeers from about 30 or so residents at the meeting.
Resident Kirk Pollard joined in asking for the reeve’s resignation.
“I’m a Div. 4 resident and I’d like to ask that you resign, Mr. Massey,” Pollard said.
Fellow Div. 4 resident Carl Larsen followed with the same request.
“I would also like to ask for your resignation,” Larsen said.
Massey did not respond to any of the requests and deferred any questions to Municipal Affairs.
“The questions being raised will be presented, considered and answered appropriately by the investigators providing the Municipal Affairs inspection,” Massey said.
“I’m absolutely convinced the people of Westlock County would want integrity, honesty and would want to deal with the facts and the truth.
“It’s important that the truth comes out.”
It marked the fourth time in as many meetings that Massey was asked to step down as reeve.
Fox-Robinson previously made the request on June 28 and July 12, while Coun. Dennis Primeau motioned to remove Massey as reeve on June 14.
In a recorded vote, his motion was defeated 4-3 with councillors Dennis Primeau, Ray Marquette and Don Savage supporting his removal, while Massey himself, along with councillors Ron Zadunayski, Albert St. Louis and Mel Kroetsch against.
