Ron Schinners wades into Fort Creek bridge ruckus

The following is an edited version of a news release issued this afternoon by Ron Schinners, candidate for mayor of Sault Ste. Marie.

Some words have been expunged from this release for legal reasons.

************************* Schinners warns Caicco will serve as [words removed for legal reasons] to City Hall

"The latest actions by Ward 1 Councillor Jamie Caicco are a reminder of what his role will be if elected mayor.

Jamie Caicco will serve as a political [words removed for legal reasons] to the CAO and City Hall.

The mayor, who is a professional engineer, raised concerns about the design of an 800-foot-long bridge to be built over Fort Creek as part of the Hub Trail.

He said he did not want to sign the contract until his concerns were satisfied.

He wanted more review of the bridge and foundation material and design.

The mayor said he wanted the issue to be reviewed by council and wouldn’t sign the contract until that was done.

Instead, the unsigned contract was taken from the mayor’s office and signed by the acting mayor, Jamie Caicco.

I have very strong reservations over Councillor Caicco’s conduct here.

He signed the contract without the knowledge or consent of the mayor.

Caicco knew that that the mayor had engineering concerns over the project.

These concerns were about public safety.

In my view, Councillor Caicco ignored possible safety concerns that could increase liability to the City.

Section 242 of The Ontario Municipal Act on the absence of head says:

A municipality may, by bylaw or resolution, appoint a member of the council to act in the place of the head of council or other member of council designated to preside at meetings in the municipality’s procedure by-law when the head of council or designated member is absent or refuses to act or the office is vacant, and while so acting such member has all the powers and duties of the head of council or designated member, as the case may be. 2006, c. 32, Sched. A, s. 105.

An acting mayor does not have the power to sign contracts on behalf of the elected mayor.

I would think that after being in council for almost a decade, Councillor Caicco should know this.

I believe Councilor Caicco may have [words removed for legal reasons] here.

His role as acting mayor is to preside at meetings.

[Line removed for legal reasons].

Instead, he went along and signed it without his knowledge and consent.

This shows that he acted abusively.

The fact that he would sign legal documents where only the mayor’s signature should be, because others told him to do it, should be a clear reminder of what the people of Sault Ste. Marie can expect to get in Jamie Caicco.

He will serve as a political [words removed for legal reasons] to City Hall.

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