Midnight madness at Halifax City Hall

Tired, frustrated councillors emotionally debate two in camera motions

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Published: January 11, 2012 7:09 a.m.

Last modified: January 11, 2012 8:24 a.m.

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Dozens of community members sat through five hours of Halifax regional council’s meeting to get to the St. Patrick’s-Alexandra school sale issue on Tuesday night.

And when it came, council decided to go in camera, and were still there well past midnight.

The crowd was outraged, grumbling and shouting “shame!”

Mayor Peter Kelly said HRM’s solicitor needed to give council a piece of legal advice they need to have before they start debate.He said council would go back into a public session after the advice was given. Council returned at 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

At 6 p.m. Coun. Jennifer Watts announced a motion to put the sale on hold until staff could complete a report looking into the process and concerns over the sale. It was added to the end of the agenda and council finally got to the matter at 11 p.m.

Coun. Dawn Sloane said she wanted her questions answered in public, not private.

“I’m sure (the community’s) trust level, like mine, is at an all-time low,” she said.

Both Sloane and Watts said over the past couple of weeks staff said they would not answer councillors’ questions on the matter.

Hours after it went public on Tuesday that the daycare that operates in the school was given little notice of its eviction, staff issued a press release to the contrary. She said councillors weren’t given that kind of information when they asked staff previously.

“We are in charge of this house, not staff,” said an angry Coun. Reg Rankin.

Coun. Jerry Blumenthal blasted his colleagues for the debate over going in camera.

“If there’s something we can get sued on and we don’t go in camera, we’re stupid!” he yelled.

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