Mayor to go eyeball-to-eyeball with Algoma Public Health

A much-anticipated showdown between Mayor Christian Provenzano and the board of Algoma Public Health will take place next week.

Christina Luukkonen, secretary to the board of health, has advised the city by email that Mayor Provenzano's request to address the board has been approved and is scheduled for the board's next meeting on Wednesday, June 17.

The mayor asked to appear as a delegation to talk about his unanswered questions about the recent Shaun Rootenberg fiasco.

"It is my feeling that rather than continuing to exchange correspondence on these matters that it would be more efficient for me to discuss them with you in person," Provenzano said in a letter sent last month to the health board.

"I acknowledge the independence of the board of health. I realize that there is nothing neither I nor our city council can do to compel you to release information that you do not wish to release or to answer questions you do not wish to answer."

"However, I suggest that in the interests of openness and given the City of Sault Ste. Marie's status as a major funder of Algoma Public Health, that you give strong consideration to allow me to attend the June 2015 board meeting so that we may have a productive dialogue together."

The June 17 meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at Algoma Public Health headquarters at 294 Willow Avenue in Sault Ste.Marie.