Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander says it is not a good look for the municipality.
At Monday’s meeting, municipal council approved the hiring of Atlas Strategic Advisors to help with their application to the Ontario Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.
Although an application had already been made by staff, $60,000 was approved for a six-month partnership with Atlas to help secure a new waste water treatment plant.
Mayor Ostrander anticipates the project will cost upwards of $30,000,000.
After many compliance issues involving high ammonia levels over the years, Brighton is replacing its current lagoon-based treatment facility with a new mechanical plant.
The larger plant will also meet the capacity requirements for almost 1,700 residential units that have been approved for future development.
The Ontario Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund financially assists municipalities with waste water projects.
Atlas Strategic Advisory provided details to council about their engagement plan (details directly below).
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At this week’s council meeting, Councillor Jeff Wheeldon made the following statement about Atlas:
“They (Atlas) are very connected with this government (provincial government), as much as it sometimes burns me that this government sometimes talks to their friends more than to other folks.”
Councillor Byron Faretis:
“Put plain and simple, it’s a lobbyist to work the backroom, that’s what we are getting. We’re not acquiring them for their technical expertise, we have JL Richards for that. I think we need that sort of eyes, ears, and feet on the ground in Queen’s Park, to make sure we don’t get dropped from the list.”
More from Councillor Faretis:
“I was delighted to hear that Councillor Wheeldon pointed out that there were a couple of senior government bureaucrats that were part of this group. My experience has been that that is always beneficial. I guess my only disappointment is it would have been nice if one of them had been the former Chief of Staff to the Premier. That would have really gotten us to the top of the list, but I guess you get what you get.”
Ontario NDP Leader Merit Stiles opened Question Period Thursday.:
“Atlas Strategic is a company led by the Premier’s infamous Principal Secretary Amin Massoudi. Atlas Strategies has now dropped the contract after they were exposed by recent reports for boasting about their relationship with the Premier’s office. Where did this town (Brighton), in the Minister of Labour’s riding, get the idea that in order to get action from this government, they needed to hire a friend of the Premier?”
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More from the Leader of the Opposition:
“Thank you Speaker. The contract is for lobbying, for grant writing support, for consultation and for advisory services to improve Brighton’s chances for funding approval and provincial support. A councillor said this: Put plain and simple, it’s a lobbyist to work the backroom, that’s what we are getting, we are not acquiring them for their technical expertise. I guess what happens in Brighton, doesn’t stay in Brighton.”
Government House Leader Paul Calandra:
“I don’t know where a town or any community in this province of Ontario would think it would ever be a good idea to hire an outside lobbyist to try to connect with the government, or members of this legislature.”
According to Atlas Strategic, Amin Massoudi was a former senior staffer for Premier Doug Ford and also worked with the City of Toronto.
Atlas Strategic Advisors has withdrawn its services for the Municipality of Brighton. Their original submission to the municipality can be seen here – CLICK HERE
Mayor Ostrander says the comments made at council Monday were regrettable.
“The members of council who used those words regret having said them, but once words are said they can’t be taken back. They got used in ways we would not have anticipated.”
Ostrander stated that he hoped this decision will not affect the municipality’s application, as the project is critical for residents.
The full council meeting from Monday can be watched below. Discussion begins around the 19:45 mark.
