Motion to dissolve TCHC board fails, Ford to try again Wednesday
Posted March 8, 2011 5:51 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A motion to dissolve the board of the Toronto Community Housing Corp. failed at City Hall on Tuesday.
But Mayor Rob Ford isn’t swayed – he’s called a special council meeting for Wednesday to discuss the issue again. The meeting will start at 5:30pm.
On Tuesday, councillors voted 26-16 in favour of the motion, just shy of the two-thirds required to put it to a debate and vote.
“I am disappointed in some of my colleagues here,” said Coun. and Deputy Mayor, Doug Holyday. “I just think they have to show more responsibility. There’s millions of dollars at stake here and they’ve let this sit in limbo. Who they heck do they think they are?”
“There’s some obstructionists around here,” he angrily added. “And there’s 16 of them and unfortunately that’s enough to stop a two-thirds vote. We’ll get around this, it’s just got to be another way.”
Coun. Adam Vaughan, who voted against, said the city must respect due process.
“Before we even get to the trial, we’ve had a verdict and an execution proposed,” he told CityNews.
“What we’re saying here today is let’s get the audit in front of the audit committee. Let’s protect the principle of tenant voices on those boards and, when we have a full airing of the facts, make a decision.”
Coun. Doug Ford said the city’s executive committee would pass the motion Thursday and then call an emergency council meeting rather than wait until the regular meeting next month.
Until then, the final two civilian board members of the TCHC will remain at their posts.
The pair of tenant representatives refused to step down after Mayor Rob Ford publicly called on members of the community housing board to resign.
One of the tenant reps, Dan King, reportedly plans to abide by council’s decision but refused to resign at the mayor’s request.
Seven civilian members stepped down last week and slammed the mayor’s “bullying tactics” in a defiant parting statement.
Former city councillor Case Ootes is reportedly being considered as an interim TCHC leader. CEO Keiko Nakamura has so far refused to hand over her resignation. Only the board can fire her.
The community housing board is comprised of 13 positions, including seven civilian positions, two TCHC tenant representatives, three city councillors and a mayor’s representative.
Councillors Frances Nunziata and John Parker resigned from the board, but Coun. Raymond Cho refuses to step down and Coun. Maria Augimeri, who was only recently appointed to the board, hasn’t offered comment.
The mayor’s call for resignations was spurred by a set of damning reports by the city’s auditor general that outlined inappropriate staff spending and millions of dollars worth of savings lost in untendered contracts.
On Monday, community housing residents held a press conference urging Ford not to privatize the TCHC.
