The tiny community of Lantzville has huge problems.
Gripped with infighting, and beset by resignations, the district council in this semi-rural bedroom municipality north of Nanaimo has imploded, six months after municipal elections.
In less than two months, four members of Lantz-ville鈥檚 seven-person council have quit. The latest resignation, on Monday, left the community of approximately 3,500 people without enough elected officials to convene a meeting.
The district鈥檚 top two staff members also have left their jobs, citing 鈥渞idicule and criticism鈥� of their work by elected officials at public meetings.
The B.C. government stepped in Tuesday to try to fix what has become the province鈥檚 most dysfunctional municipality.
It was an unprecedented intervention. Though municipal councils often squabble, and occasionally require help if a councillor dies unexpectedly, the province said it was unaware of ever having to salvage a municipal government unable to meet quorum due to resignations.
Community Development Minister Coralee Oakes used her legislative authority to grant Lantzville鈥檚 remaining mayor and two councillors legal authority to meet and make decisions until byelections are held.
It was the safest option facing Oakes, who could have instead chosen to appoint unelected officials to council in order to stabilize the meetings.
Current and former politicians in Lantzville can鈥檛 quite put their finger on when things took such a turn for the worse.
It鈥檚 a small community, and there鈥檚 still lingering resentment over a lengthy zoning battle that forced the closure of an organic vegetable farm several years ago. That saw the current mayor bounced from office for a term before he won re-election.
There also has been disagreement over a deal to obtain drinking water from Nanaimo, in which the mayor emerged as the most vocal critic. Others have complained about rumours of a massive deficit and tax hike 鈥� used as an election scare tactic last year 鈥� that were ultimately proven unfounded.
Clear divisions have formed since November鈥檚 municipal election. In one camp sits Mayor Colin Haime, Coun. Denise Haime (the mayor鈥檚 wife) and Coun. John Coulson. Members of the other group have all resigned, including Dave Scott, Rod Negrave, Jennifer Millbank and Graham Savage.
鈥淚 just wasn鈥檛 prepared to continue with the atmosphere and so, in my opinion, I made the call that if I resigned, the minister would have to get involved,鈥� said Savage, whose resignation Monday forced the crisis because it left council without quorum.
鈥淭here鈥檚 lots of issues. But my biggest concern is that this community has become significantly divided again, and we can鈥檛 just keep doing stuff like this. 鈥�
Savage pointed to meetings where members of the public gallery leaped from their seats, pointed fingers and began shouting at staff and councillors.
The mayor said that鈥檚 not true, and that the criticism is 鈥渢he creation of an illusion of dysfunction鈥� by opponents who want to re-fight the last election.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an attempt to paint something that doesn鈥檛 exist, to make some sort of political point,鈥� said Colin Haime.
鈥淧eople talk about it being a dysfunctional council. The strange thing is they take a look at the individuals who are still here and say: 鈥極h those must be the dysfunctional ones.鈥� I might suggest that people look at the actions, agendas and motives of the people that have resigned and consider whether they might actually have been the dysfunctional aspects.鈥�
Haime said he鈥檚 not considering resigning.
The infighting has brought district work to a standstill.
Lantzville鈥檚 dysfunction is reminiscent of problems in the District of Saanich, which was gripped by crisis after last fall鈥檚 municipal election when the mayor and council began feuding over the installation of spyware on district computers, and allegations that Mayor Richard Atwell was unfairly targeted with traffic stops by police.
Saanich became a laughingstock in the national media with its infighting and bizarre personal feuds, and some are worried Lantzville is headed down the same path.
Former councillor Andrew Mostad, who was defeated in Lantzville鈥檚 last election, said he believes the politicians who have resigned are fair and professional, and the problem lies with the mayor and his councillor wife.
鈥淎ll the people I鈥檝e talked to are flabbergasted Mayor Haime hasn鈥檛 taken the blame for this,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he fact he鈥檚 had two of the longest-serving staff members, as well as the majority of his council leave, I would suggest shows something about his leadership that may be lacking. But it seems he鈥檚 only willing to deflect and point the finger at someone else.鈥�
