Belleville’s mayor and the chair of the city’s Economic and Destination Development committee are in a disagreement regarding the committee’s operations.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk, had requested to attend the meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Municipal Accommodation Tax and its expenditure.
Since the committee has four councillors, someone has to step down to avoid a quorum.
Panciuk wanted the chair, Councillor Ryan Williams, to “step down” while he, the mayor, spoke. Williams refused to do so and the mayor didn’t attend.
In a letter to the committee, Panciuk quotes the procedural by-law about the mayor’s authority and makes this comment to Quinte News.
In his letter the mayor reiterates what he said recently in council, that the committee has made no recommendations in its seven months of existence.
He calls on the committee to make recommendations for the 2021 budget year.
He writes, “I would encourage you not to duplicate the work of the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board that will be receiving 50% of the MAT money collected in Belleville.
Councillor Williams tells Quinte News that he didn’t think it was good precedent that the chair be removed.
In his statement of reply, Williams says the committee has developed a strategic plan and he questions why it would have to wait until 2021 to spend the money.
He continued, “As per the clerk’s advice – there are other councillors available should the mayor wish to attend, to replace, to avoid a quorum.”
Wiliams says he will meet with the mayor next week.
Councillor Kelly McCaw, who had called the issue “classless and unfortunate” presented a motion that the mayor be invited to the January meeting.
When Williams reiterated that he would not step down while the mayor made a presentation, Councillor Pat Culhane announced she would step down and the motion passed.
The issue centres around how the MAT tax money will be spent on tourism and related matters.
At council recently, Mayor Panciuk questioned the committee’s work on this, indicating it was too slow to move on some new issues.
The city’s share of the tax money sits at about $450,000 dollars right now.
