Councillors Address Absenteeism and Council Functionality Issues

On March 22, 2024, Councillors Allana Schmidt and Chantal Rondeau released a statement addressing recent absenteeism among council members and its impact on council functionality in Black River-Matheson. The statement follows a press release by Mayor Doug Bender on March 21, 2024.

Councillors Schmidt and Rondeau noted that Councillors Dyment, Campsall, and Gadoury have missed the regularly scheduled council meetings on February 27 and March 12, resulting in the council's inability to meet quorum. They emphasized that the council's inability to function is directly related to these absences and urged the absentee councillors to attend future meetings to fulfill their duties.

The statement also mentioned the need to appoint a replacement for Mr. Neal, who resigned on February 20, 2024. The appointment would help achieve quorum even if the absentee councillors continue to miss meetings. Schmidt and Rondeau criticized the absentee councillors for withholding representation from Neal's ward by not permitting an appointment.

The councillors expressed their support for the management team during the ongoing lockout/strike and called for unity among council members to protect staff and promote community welfare. They invited the absentee councillors to present their concerns and ideas in council meetings rather than on social media platforms.