City Hall Realtor, property owner aiming to collect 6,300 signatures in bid to force election

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APRIL ROBINSON
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

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SAINT JOHN - A real estate salesman and property owner has launched a petition to remove Mayor Ivan Court from office.

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KâtÈ LeBlanc/Telegraph-Journal

Real estate businessman Gerry Webster holds a petition he is circulating in a bid to remove Mayor Ivan Court from office. He wants to present the petition to the common clerk by July 17.

"He's the mayor, that's where the buck stops," Gerry Webster said. "He's had a year and he's not listened to the public."

Webster, who has already expressed his frustration with the mayor and common council, wants to present the petition to the common clerk by July 15.

The petition says, in part, "We the undersigned petition the common clerk of the City of Saint John to recall the below listed mayor" and that "an election be held as soon as possible."

The reason for the petition to recall the mayor, the document states, is "the failure to address the serious financial situation of the city and the proposed further expenditures on capital projects."

With the help of two lawyers, Webster said he has researched old city laws that allow citizens to recall politicians if they have the support of the electorate. Webster said he needs at least 15 per cent support - or about 6,300 signatures.

"I'm not expecting to have too much of a problem at all getting that," he said. "I think there's enough people mad enough to sign it, and get the mayor out and have him stand for election and stand on the merit of what he's been doing."

According to the city statute, the common clerk would ensure the signatures are valid, and set a byelection within 50 days, Webster said.

Webster has formed a committee of disgruntled citizens to help distribute the petition, and knows at least three people interested in running for mayor. Most of the problems he has with the mayor involve the issue of increasing taxes.

"They were elected on a promise they would lower taxes, but they didn't lower our costs, they've increased our costs."

With big city projects including the new $28-million police station at Peel Plaza and a multimillion-dollar new water system, Webster figures the tax rate will go up by 50 cents, or a 30 per cent increase.

"It's just not acceptable," he said, adding he has a lot of money invested in Saint John properties and can't afford an increase. "We already have the highest tax rates."

He also cited the city's new $20-million heated bus garage as an example of excessive spending.

Aside from increasing costs, Webster said he's not alone in his frustration with how the city is being run. He thinks building Peel Plaza in the uptown is foolish when the city should be attracting families to such prime real estate. He even believes Saint John has missed its chance at getting federal funding for a new water treatment system.

"I can tell you from my research, the people in Ottawa are laughing at the people of Saint John because the application they put in wouldn't be prepared this way by a Grade 10 student."

According to Webster's research, citizens used the recall law in 1919 and in 1923.

The Municipalities Act, a provincial act created in the 1970s, supersedes former city laws wherever there is a conflict between the two.

Since recall is not addressed in the act, "the previous ruling still prevails," he said.

If the mayor refuses to step down, Webster said he won't give up.

"We'll take a whole truckload of paperwork to the lieutenant-governor, and say, 'Here's the paperwork, these people want the mayor out,' " he said. "And they'd be really hard-pressed not to move the mayor out."

Once the petition is presented, Webster said Court should have the "common courtesy" to resign. If there is a byelection, Court will have the opportunity to run again, he said.

For now, it's the citizens' turn to speak, Webster said.

"Here's a chance for all the people of Saint John who are complaining about the situation to come forward and put their name on the paper and say, 'I'm not happy, I'm not taking this anymore.' "