Another Lantzville councillor has stepped down.
Mayor Colin Haime confirmed that Coun. David Scott handed in a letter of resignation, joining councillors Rod Negrave and Jennifer Millbank, who stepped down in late April.
Scott was among a group of four councillors who sent a letter to the community in April outlining frustrations over the treatment of staff at district meetings.
Haime said Scott’s resignation isn’t unexpected.
“He’s been an individual who’s been on council before … it’s disappointing that after only five months of a mandate, an individual basically decides to move on, but for our purposes, because we have a byelection coming anyway, better now than later,” said Haime.
Scott did not respond to a request for comment but in his resignation letter said in his eight years as a district trustee and during his term on council, he’s never experienced such dysfunction.
“I am a strong believer in the democratic process, however, I believe that there are significant issues around democracy in our community that I can no longer tolerate,” Scott said.
To read Scott’s resignation letter in full, please click here and jump to page 22.
With the three resignations in less than a month, Haime addressed suggestions that council is dysfunctional.
“Just like the other two individuals that resigned, no specifics were provided as to what their concerns are,” Haime said. “So if, as leaders, that they can’t decide the direction of council themselves as a majority … then I’m not sure they’d be serving the public to continue.”
Quorum for district council is four councillors, which is the number at which council currently stands.
No byelection date has been set. An item was on last night’s meeting agenda to address the issue. Haime said the byelection is estimated to cost taxpayers $20,000.
Chief administrative officer Twyla Graff and financial services director Jedha Holmes have also tendered resignations recently.
