[wackypacky]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

What disturbs me is not the fact that it occurred - it was obvious to anyone observing this most recent concert that it was a spectacular failure. What I am surprised about is how our esteemed Mayor set up a long-serving and loyal senior staff member as the fall guy and is blaming everyone but himself for what occurred.

Think about the timing of this: a couple of days before the concert the promoter walks in and says if you don't give us $400K, we're pulling out and leaving you holding the bag for $1.8 million. There is no way it can be brought before council and no way you can possibly follow process to get such a sum approved in 2 days. In such events it seems perfectly normal for the Mayor and CAO to make an emergency decision.

The problem is that the Mayor knew about it and told nobody. The Mayor, despite his attempt to spin it otherwise, was in agreement with it. Anstey, being a very careful lifelong bureaucrat and being on the job as Acting CAO for only 2 weeks, would never have done that on his own. Now the Mayor is attempting to save his own skin by forcing Anstey to announce he will retire and making noises that perhaps he will be fired before he is allowed to retire. The Mayor is also blaming his legal staff for not telling him that his was outside the bounds of the HRM Charter. I cannot accept that the Mayor did not know this from the start.

It is a despicable act by the Mayor and he should be ashamed of himself. Peter Kelly must resign.

relax.........