OLDS — As promised, Coun. Mitch Thomson’s name has been removed from the rotation of the Town of Olds council's deputy mayors as part of his punishment for a Facebook post critical of council.
The decision to remove Thomson’s name from the rotation was made during council’s Oct. 26 organizational meeting.
Coun. Mary Anne Overwater also used the occasion to question whether Thomson should even be allowed to sit on any council committees. However, Thomson defended himself.
Thomson created the infamous Facebook post on June 12.
It was in reaction to town council’s decision to redirect the second half of the town's 2020 funding for the Olds Institute (OI) to its economic development secretariat and economic recovery taskforce.
Thomson, a first-term councillor, is the executive director of OI.
According to a Town of Olds press release issued on Oct. 23, Thomson refused to take down the post and publicly apologize for it when asked to do so by council a few weeks later or face an investigation into breaches of the town's council code of conduct bylaw.
After undertaking an investigation into the matter and obtaining legal advice, council voted earlier this month to sanction Thomson.
During the organizational meeting, Coun. Mary Anne Overwater said she personally wasn’t sure Thomson should be appointed to any committees, given the thoughts he expressed in his Facebook post.
“I believe that you stated several times that you were not in support of the council or the mayor.
“So I’m not really sure that I agree that you should be appointed to any committees to be speaking on behalf of the town because you have out and out spoken that you do not support what our town council, or our mayor, are doing,” Overwater said.
“So are you able to maybe put some of your differences aside and support in the town’s direction for these committees?”
Thomson thanked Overwater for “your overarching comment.”
“I don’t believe my statements reflect – my statements were reflected properly,” he said.
“I may take exception to some of the decisions that are made at any point, like any councillor might. But I am indeed (still) prepared to serve this municipality and its constituents,” he added.
“We may have differences of opinion at times, but that’s all.”
“All I’m saying is that when you leave here, you have to support the council decision. You can’t be talking and disrespecting what the rest of council or mayor are saying,” Overwater said.
“So when you go to these committees, you have to speak on behalf of council, not on behalf of yourself.”
A motion setting the appointments to the committees and the new deputy mayor rotation passed easily.
