Martin Millerchip News Reporter asartin@nsnews.com “T have never claimed to be a hero, but I am certainly not a villain.” The majority of North Vancouver District. counci! appeared to agree with Mayor Don Bell's characterization of himself fast Wednesday since there was ultimately no sup- port for a motion censuring the mayor. The censure motion related to whether Bell was in a con- flict of interest when he voted in favour of rezoning and the ensure maye Allegations levelled aver development cost charges council on several occasions about its delay in implement- ing a Development Cost Charge (DCC) bylaw. Such a bylaw allows the district to charge new development 2 proportion of municipal infra- structure costs. Adoption of a district DCC bylaw was delayed fast year to allow a development at 27th and Mountain Highway an opportunity to avoid DCCs. A sim majority of council felt that the Mountain Highway development had been delayed by municipal advice Sadler, was that Bell Giled to disclose “his long-term friend- ship” with the developer and owner of the site, Ken Hutchinson, before voting on development approval. “Although the mayor did not do anything illegal, I believe he ‘crossed the line’ and committed an impropri- ety,” wrote Sadler in a June 13 letter to council. “After all, it’s not every day that one can be involved in a process which saves a friend $500,000 at the expense of the taxpayers whem onc is Re Sat NEWS ptolo Paul McGrath SEYMOUR resident David Sadier claims NV District mayor Don Bell “cominitted an impropriety” by not disclosing a personal friendship before a development vote. issuance of a development per- mit for the Avalon Hotel in July 1998. The censure issue arose out of a series of allegations made by Seymour activist and long- time council watcher David Sadler. And Sadler has vowed to keep the pressure on Bell who, he says managed to avoid cen- sure by sidetracking the issue into one of legality rather than ethics. The background to last week's unusual proceedings saw Sadler complaining to by a Certified technician. ids & repor.. “ TRITQROTIVE et peat SUMMER SPECIALS ,. a Luez, Ou & Fieren ee Check battery, test antifreeze, check tires & brakes, visual inspection All above with written B.C..A.A., inspection teport, rotate tires, top up all ules fp Ay e With scope chack by one cf B.C.'s top Air Care: Ww technicians, road test & report any findirigs a vi Replace front pads or rear pads or shoes, = Diagnose A/C operation. Test temp. mance, check refrigerant level, check com-~ pressor belts, hoses, gases, radiator cond., * Aln-Cons. & Coone High tech, full 4 wheel computer and deserved the break. During that delay, the development permit for a major redevelopment of the Avalon site was unanimously approved by council. The redevelopment thus escaped the imposition of approximately $500,000 in DCCs. According to Sadler, the approval of the Avalon rede- velopment was not conducted “in a fair, open and transparent manner as expected by our community.” The reason, according to a fiter. top Hor. J paid to represent.” Once Sadler's letter hit the council rable, Couns. Ernie Crist and Pat Munroe took up the quest for an explanation. Crist filed motions: @ asking for an internal inves- tigation as to whether Bell requested staff to expedite the Avalon development at the expense of the 27th and Mountain Highway develop- ment; and oe Technology, health care, in calling for censure of Bell for failing to disclose his friendship vith the developer and remove himself from debate on the Avalon. Munroe asked council to consider whether any further action should be taken in response to Sadler's letter. Municipal manager Gord Howie then asked Christopher Murdy of the legal firm of Murdy & Mcallister to inves- tigate whether che Avaion development was expedited at the request of Bell. Bell began Wednesday’s meeting by reading a lengthy prepared statement chat included the conclusion of Murdy’s report “that there is no merit to the suggestion thar the mayor acted in any improper way in this matter. In our view there was nothing in the mayor’s conduct that calls for any further action by the district or in any way puts the district at risk in this mat- ter.” Bell said “there was noth- ing in current conflict of inter- est laws or poficies in the Municipal Act or the District of North Vancouver” that would have required him to disclose his friendship with Hutchinson and emphasized that he did nor have a financial interest in cither the Avalon or 27th and Mountain Highway developments. The Avalon development has since folded and the hotel has been sold by Hutchinson. Beil concluded by commit- ting “to disciose in future any significant personal relation- ships that are related to mat- ters before this council.” Debate then rambled and raged for 90 minutes until it became clear there was no sup- port for a censure motion, or any other council action, “There’s personal friends, old friends, best friends, good friends, close friends and acquaintances,” said Coun. Janice Harris, noting that natural resources, financial services and consumer products. With the changes happening today in the global marketplace shaping the economy of the next millennium, AIM GT Global Theme Class* strives to take advantage of the very best companies that the world has to offer in the seven leading sectors of global growth. AIM* high. To find out mere about the seven wonders of the investment world contact: Please cail 925-5552 KATHY SAGER Senior Vice-President B Financial Consultant West Vancouver Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. QS Merrill Lynch most of the small crowd in the gallery were known to council. “There was no nudge nudge, wink wink; no old boys club here. It was business as usual.” Coun. Trevor Carolan angrily pointed out that both Crist and Munroe (who was on vacation and absent from the debate) had received elec- ton money trom local unions and yet voted on labour-relat- ed issues in council. “When is that not a conflict of interest, I ask you,” said Carolan. Ultimately, Crist failed to get a second for his censure motion, and the other ovo motions were never moved. But Sadler says censure of rhe mayor is still in order. “Just ike Premier Clark, Mayor Bell did nothing wrong — legally. Ethically and maral- ly, of course, is an entirely dif- ferent question. But Mayor Bell very shrewdly commis- sioned a legal opinion, when illegalitics were never alleged. 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