Baie d’Urfé has tabled French auditors’ reports at its council meetings since the demerger (2006). This is common practice among West Island cities. The document is specifically designed to respect the Quebec government’s reporting requirements.
Since 2006, neither the town’s finance department nor any member of the administration nor the mayor’s office nor any former finance councillor has ever had a citizen request a copy of the auditors’ report—in any language.
Since 2006, the town has hired four different auditing firms, and each has indicated that our records are sound and that Baie d’Urfé is exemplary in its accounting practices and financial management.
Peter Fletcher has been a town councilor since 2009 and the annual auditors’ report has always been tabled in French with this action receiving unanimous approval by council, including Councilor Fletcher’s vote in favor (example council meeting of August 13, 2013).
Mr. Fletcher first made bilingual auditors’ reports an issue during the municipal election of November 2013, and has continued to do so in his public communiques, at caucus and at council meetings. The motion has been repeatedly debated, voted upon and defeated by the town council.
Councilor Fletcher brought the subject up again at the council meeting in June. The motion was once again debated by council, voted upon and this time defeated publicly. The mayor did not participate in this vote since a majority of councilors voted against the motion.
It is difficult to understand Peter Fletcher’s insistence on bilingual auditors’ reports when, just before the election of November 2013, he voted in favor of tabling the French report, citizens are not asking for bilingual reports, and the translation would be costly.
The motion has now been discussed and debated ad nauseam, in caucus and in council, always with the same outcome and it is time to turn the page.
Maria Tutino
Mayor
Baie d’Urfé
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