Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
CTV
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting nearly cost the city dearly.
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting nearly cost the city dearly.
During the waning moments of a marathon regular business meeting, an item arose to approve or deny $22 million dollars of spending to create a city-owned and operated organics processing facility.
But as the item was being introduced, Coun. David Kirton briefly stepped away from chambers and almost flushed this project down the toilet.
"I'm not sure if that was intentional, but very significant consequences," Mayor Charlie Clark said as he realized Kirton wasn't in the room when the vote was taking place.
You can hear another councillor say "he's in the washroom" on the city's video of the meeting.
The moment was significant because like most major issues over the last few years, council was divided. Without Kirton's vote in favour of the project, council was at a standstill with five voting for and five voting against. According to procedure, any tie means a vote is defeated.
"I don't recall anything specific happening like this," Coun. Donauer said Friday.
