Screen grab/Fort Frances town council meeting, March 14, 2022.
Some contentious discussion at Fort Frances council’s meeting Monday night.
It began when Councillor Doug Judson posed questions to Rainy River Future Development Corporation’s Geoff Gillon about newspaper ads from local realtor David Kircher regarding wood rights.
Gillon was at council to discuss the activities of the RRFDC over the past year, which includes working with the Boundary Waters Forest Management Corporation, which is now responsible for the management of forest management agreements in the district.
Mayor June Caul felt the line of questioning was inappropriate.
“We had a presentation done. We should be asking questions on just the presentation and leaving at that. These kinds of questions had nothing to do with the presentation or the delegation,” said Caul.
Others, including Councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft, agreed.
“It was part of the presentation tonight because there is a relationship between Rainy River Futures and Boundary Waters, but I do think it’s a stretch to pursue what Councillor Judson is trying to pursue,” stated Wiedenhoeft.
I am talking about the work of a committee that is being publicly maligned and needs to be clarified. I think that’s important and I think it’s perfectly fair for me to do that.
Judson tried to raise the issue again during the councillor’s report portion, only to again face objection from the Mayor.
That led to an exchange between Judson and the Mayor over her previous report regarding the fighting in Ukraine.
“You talked about Ukraine. Which committee is Ukraine related to Madam Mayor?” questioned Judson. “Take me to this section of the procedural bylaw. Madam Clerk, please take me to the section of the procedural bylaw and which committee relates to the people of Ukraine that the Mayor just spoke about.”
“I am talking about the work of a committee that is being publicly maligned and needs to be clarified. I think that’s important and I think it’s perfectly fair for me to do that, said Judson.
However, other members of council again agreed the use of the councillor’s reports segment was not the appropriate avenue.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Judson accused council of censoring him in an attempt to clarify the facts surrounding the mill and the wood rights.
