Sechelt Mayor John Henderson addressed the recently released governance audit during his report at the July 3 council meeting.
Henderson said he was pleased to see many of the recommendations in the audit from George B. Cuff & Associates Ltd. are not new, adding they are things council and staff have been doing for a while.
“The public should know that I expressed my regrets to council privately in an email on June 11 before Mr. Cuff’s report was provided to us,” Henderson said, adding he said he is committed to working better with each of them and getting things done.
“I agree, I think that we'll all benefit from a reset. That was part of the core of the report. And it occurs to me that organizations are like families,” he said. “Occasionally we need to stop and reflect on what's been going on, what's worked, what isn't working, why are we frustrated and figure out a course for the future.
“To deliver on that, I pledge to find new ways to do more for our community, and better collaboration with each of you, as well as with our CAO Andrew Yeates,” Henderson said.
Speaking to the recommendations for the mayor, Henderson said he wished Cuff had spent more time with Sechelt’s team, adding he will be discussing what he believes are “inconsistencies and possible inaccuracies,” with him in the coming days.
Acknowledging those who have reached out to him in recent days and stating everyone who stands for elected positions deserves respect and gratitude, Henderson ended by saying, “My thanks to everybody and especially my council, teammates, we've got some work to do and I'm committed to working with you to do it.”
No other members of Sechelt council or staff addressed the report at the meeting.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
