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iAn opinion letter penned by six former Kiwanis Citizens of the year, is being challenged by council candidate Don Rennick.
The letter is signed by Ted Thomson, Harriet Madigan, Dave Saad, Lach McLachlan, John Strang, and Katharine Strang and complains that, "Over the past four years, negativity has been a common theme presented to city council by the now disbanded taxpayer’s association."
See: Opinion: Positive leadership needed
"Read with interest the tome from six past Kiwanis Citizens of the Year," says Rennick in a release to BayToday.
"It is obvious from their comments that they have done absolutely no research on any of the operations at City Hall or North Bay Hydro. By way of contrast, I have been doing so for the past eight years. The many, many issues that I brought to light in front of council and through the media were criticisms. Criticism is characterized as negativity only by those who can’t refute it. Otherwise, those being criticised would challenge the criticism with facts. Over the years, the mayor, council and senior staff have consistently refused to present any facts or address these issues even when they were approached on a one-to-one basis. This meant bringing the issues out in public was the only option."
Rennick, a former member of the Taxpayer's Association, rejects the letter's suggestion that he is not really qualified enough to understand the broader issues or the recommendations made by city staff.
"I am a lifelong Chartered Accountant and fully qualified to speak to the issues that I have raised. The issues I have raised include the Mayor’s Plan, North Bay Hydro delivery charges, the real percentage increase in the yearly tax levy, the inclusion of budget surpluses in reserves and the use of long term borrowing to pay current operating expenses. None of these issues are debatable, have any broader issues attached and are costing taxpayers literally millions of dollars in unnecessary expense. I challenge the authors, as I have done with the Mayor on many occasions, to a public debate on any issue that I have raised at council or in public.
"Over the past couple of years, resignations by the police chief, the fire chief, the City CAO and the CAO of North Bay Hydro have resulted in golden handshakes. We know that the cost is not insignificant but the exact cost of this largesse is unknown and the fact this was occurring was virtually hidden from taxpayers. The existence of the sunshine list and a BayToday article were the only things that alerted citizens that this was happening. Does this practice by the current administration suggest that our city is represented by people who will conduct themselves with class, dignity, and respect and will work toward gaining the trust of the citizens of North Bay? The authors have suggested this and seem to think so. I disagree."
Rennick says he's waiting for his invitation from the authors to a public debate.
