"Residents in Durham Region will not be asked to vote on whether they support the municipality in creating an independent auditor general office after a motion to hold a referendum was defeated. This week, regional councillors discussed at length whether or not that question should be put on next year's municipal election ballot. The motion lost in a 13-13 tie after Ajax Mayor Shaun Collier, Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster and Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy were absent from voting."
"Roy, who was participating in the meeting virtually, was asked three times by staff to place her vote, before council moved ahead. Coun. Chris Leahy brought the motion forward after he attempted to have the region create its own independent auditor general back in September. The motion was referred back to staff and will be brought back to a committee in February."
"Leahy said he was concerned about regional spending, including renovation costs at the region's headquarters, which were disputed by the municipality. An independent auditor general is the solution, and letting voters decide is the better solution," Leahy said. Whitby councillor Chris Leahy put forward the motion, asking councillors to approve the placement of his referendum question on next year's municipal election ballot. (Region of Durham)"
"He was asked to withdraw that motion, with there not being enough time for it to be brought back to council. Marimpietri was allowed to explain his motion. He said he worried that allowing the public to vote on the referendum without assessing if it's financially feasible could put councillors in a position where they have to decline creating an auditor general's office anyway."
Regional councillors debated placing a referendum on next year's municipal ballot to ask voters whether to create an independent auditor general office, and the motion failed in a 13-13 tie. Three mayors were absent for the vote, and Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy was asked multiple times to cast her vote while participating virtually. Councillor Chris Leahy originally sought a regional auditor general after concerns about disputed regional spending and renovation costs at headquarters. The motion was referred back to staff and will return to committee in February. Oshawa councillor Tito Marimpietri urged provincial input and warned about financial feasibility.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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