A Moncton City Councillor is expressing concern over the way the Codiac Regional Policing Authority board is structured.
Shawn Crossman says Moncton City Councillor Charles Leger is the current chair of the CRPA.
However, Crossman says councillors are appointed to boards as liaisons by the Mayor.
“When I sit on that board, I bring the concerns of the citizens to every meeting and I speak about those concerns,” says Crossman. “Whereas the current chair is an existing Deputy Mayor of the City of Moncton, is he bringing those concerns forward and speaking on behalf of citizens?”
He believes the chair’s role complicates Leger’s ability to serve.
“At the end of the day the chair organizes the meeting, calls the agenda, and breaks the tie in a vote situation,” says Crossman. ” wonder, is that chair voicing the concerns of his constituents and the citizens of Moncton?”
Meanwhile, Councillor Charles Leger says there are provisions within the Codiac Regional Policing Authority bylaws outlining roles and responsibilities of all members.
“All of the members are first of all members of the tri community and they act as the representatives of citizens, but they don’t act in other roles, in this particular context I’m not acting as a Councillor,” says Leger.
He says the Governance Committee will review these concerns.
“The chair, vice-chair, treasurer and the secretary are all elected by the board members, if they are uncomfortable with my being chair, they are certainly able to elect another chair,” says Leger.
Leger says despite being Chairman his constituents are still being represented by the entire committee.
