Old Perlican stable despite surprise resignations from council, says acting mayor
Three of seven town councillors and clerk/manager resigned last week
Uncertainty and concern over the provincewide public health emergency is not the only thing creating unease in the small Newfoundland and Labrador fishing outport of Old Perlican.
As the province struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, Old Perlican is also dealing with a sudden exodus of its local leadership.
But the acting mayor is offering assurances that all is well in the town of just over 600 residents, some 55 kilometres north of Carbonear, along the Baccalieu Trail.
'We're doing our best'
Clifford Morgan said a tension-stirring water tax dispute with the town's major employer has been largely resolved, the town's ambulance service is running smoothly, and public works staff are maintaining services.
Morgan said the remaining town councillors are meeting regularly, and have kept provincial officials apprised of the developments.
"We're doing the best we can to keep the town in good stead," he said by phone from his home Thursday morning.
Three councillors, manager quit
Three elected leaders — Mayor Harvey Button, Deputy Mayor Bren Power and Coun. Lori Sparkes — and the town's most senior staff person, town clerk/manager Margie Hopkins, resigned late last week.
Morgan was unable to provide any explanation for their departures, and their resignation letters did not offer any glimpse into what led to their decisions.
Repeated calls by CBC News to Button's cellphone have also gone unanswered.
"We ask for your patience and support while this and other issues are being dealt with," the town wrote in a letter to citizens this week.
"We're all befuddled" by the resignations, Morgan said. "We had no indication that would take place."
Council can make decisions with four elected members, and Morgan said it's uncertain how the vacancies will be filled while strict social distancing measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
He said the town's administrative assistant, Emily Button, is serving as clerk/manager.
"Citizens should not worry," said Morgan. "We're in a very good position right now."
Acting mayor 'disappointed' with resignations
Morgan said he was "disappointed" by the departure of his colleagues and the town clerk/manager, but added, "We have to keep our head up and move forward."
CBC News reported last month about the tax dispute between the town and Quin-Sea Fisheries Limited, the seafood processing company that employs hundreds of plant workers during the fishing season.
Quin-Sea was refusing to pay tens of thousands of dollars in outstanding water taxes from the 2019 tax year, and the town had disconnected water to the plant.
Button was reluctant to speak about the matter at the time, since a prolonged dispute was threatening the livelihood of people working for Quin-Sea because the plant would not be able to operate without a water supply.
"Nobody wants to do this, but what do you do?" Button said Feb. 28 about the decision to deny water to the company.
Tax dispute resolved
Button defended the 50 per cent increase in water taxes to the company, saying it was necessary in order to pay for much-needed upgrades to the commercial water infrastructure, and that the new rate was comparable to what the neighbouring Town of Bay de Verde was charging the processing company in that community.
Morgan said the 2019 tax dispute was resolved a few days after the issue made headlines, before the resignations, and Quin-Sea has paid the town more than $100,000 in outstanding water fees.
He said council was unanimous in its vote to reopen the flow of water to the plant on March 4.
Morgan said talks are now ongoing with Quin-Sea on a tax formula for the upcoming seafood processing season, though he would not say whether the town was prepared to lower the rates.
"We are at a good conversation level now," said Morgan, who added the town's relationship with Quin-Sea is "back to normal."
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