From Opinion250's Trial of Skakun Winding Down:

"She also testified that the City offered her $25 thousand dollars on the condition that she not speak of anything she had seen. Her job was terminated in June of 2008. McLean-Smith said the release of the Heller report didn’t bother her."

This worries me a lot more than what Skakun did, if it is indeed true...

I really don't want my city taxes used for something as illegal as bribery.

There are two galring points not being mentioned:
1. The report was released to local media at exactly the same time Brian first became aware of it, far in advance of Skakun re-releasing the information to CBC with instructions NOT to publish it, as stated in court testimony yesterday, and..
2. Brian is not an officer or director, and as such, can not even be charged under the FOI Act.

This is all a cover up to protect a bad cop, investigated by a convicted liar (Ray Noble) and is being presided over by a judge who made a creer in private practise protecting bad cops. The cover up went bad, and now the taxpayers are on the hook for something blown completely out of proportion, something that could have been resoilved with a simple reprimand and a promise not to re-offend.

Anyone caught trying to cover up crime is is a criminal, not those trying to expose corruption.

PS - I ain't the best speller :-)

I think what Skakun done is brave, honest and naive. However, he will likely be aquitted from spending any time in the slammer, and end up with minor monetary fine.

That should not terminate the case. I think the Crown Counsel needs to do an investigation on the city to find out a bit more about the alleged bribery attempt on the worker. Someone, somewhere up the line authorized this hush money.

I think, we need to find away to shake up city employees, and to remind them that we pay the taxes and we are not getting our moneys worth out of administration. I think the ivory tower needs to be rebuilt.

I think the front line workers and outside workers do a great job. It is middle management and the so called experts on staff needs to be cut out.

What do the citizens and the taxpayers want.

Primary needs
- Policing
- Sewer, water, and garbage pickup
- snow plowing
- Reasonable condition of streets
- timely process to administer permits

Secondary needs,
- future growth plans
- Maintain existing recreational investments by means of subletting.
- Investing for future projects.

We do not want,
- Debt load payments to exceed 10% of taxes, based on 2% over current prime rate.
- Becoming a property developer.
- Becoming Liable from poor judgements.

Thanks "eyefull"

My sympathies are with Skakun, but I'm not so sure that he isn't subject to the Act. Isn't a city councilor a "director of a public body"? The Act (http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/LOC/freeside/--%20F%20--/Freedom%20of%20Information%20and%20Protection%20of%20Privacy%20Act%20RSBC%201996%20c.%20165/00_Act/96165_03.xml) doesn't define "director" but the role of a city councilor is very much like that of a director of a society.

Oops. Here's the link to the Act: http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/LOC/freeside/--%20F%20--/Freedom%20of%20Information%20and%20Protection%20of%20Privacy%20Act%20RSBC%201996%20c.%20165/00_Act/96165_03.xml

(why is it that every blog/commenting program has its own weird markup? Life would be much simpler if everyone would just use HTML.)

So if the councillors are directors, and the Mayor is the chairperson of the board, shouldn't the staff and managers be following the directives of the board, or they should get fired.

Not all politicians are dishonest,at least not in the begining of their polticial careers.
Many are actually honest people who have learned from the inside exactly what happens when you buck the big boys.
Which is why many of them sit back and keep their mouths shut,even when they know something is rotten.
I suspect this is part of the process that beats the crap of any idealistic attitudes they may have about doing what is right for their fellow man.
I like Brian Skakun,but I think the system is teaching him the same lesson that all politicians on all levels, eventually learn...collect your pay check and don't rock the boat.
Still,we have to give Brian credit for trying to right a perceived wrong.
We don't have to agree with what he did,maybe we simply need to understand why he did it.

"So if the councillors are directors, and the Mayor is the chairperson of the board, shouldn't the staff and managers be following the directives of the board, or they should get fired."

Yes, that's the way it is supposed to work.

He did it, because he felt that it needs to be done and exposed. he just did it poorly.

But who is going to do the bloodletting. The city council and the mayor is not running our city. The administrators are running this city. The last real mayor we had, was Harold.

It's nice to see that the Skakun kool aid drinking group is out early this morning.

Staff does what is directed by Mayor and Council.

So the last Council ordered staff to investigate and report back to council. This was done! It was COUNCIL that decided what to do next about the situation - not staff.

The only thing Skakun has done is cost us taxpayers money!!!

$80,000 for a needless report on the bingo hall
$25,000 for the first settlement against the city
$?00,000 for the court costs so he could admit to doing it
$?00,000 how much more for the next lawsuits against the city now that he's admitted to releasing the report?

Kool aid drinkers - how much more should the rest of us pay so Skakun can stand on his soap box? Where is this massive coverup?

There is none...

middleground, do you work for the city?

I wish Brian good luck, in this case and what ever he follows next.He trys to help the real people and he stands alone on hot topics .

If I didn't know better, I'd swear that middleground is either the mayor, or a city councillor, perhaps even one of those who colluded to deprive Brian of his legal rights...who may find the RCMP soon knocking on their door...

Somebody wants this Pandora Box closed.

I think what Brian believed to be a simple matter,got out of hand and exploded beyond anything he could of imagined.Many of us are guilty of doing the same thing.He probably figured the CBC would look into it and let him know whether something was wrong.Instead they released the information and we are at the result of what transpired because of that miscommunication between the CBC and Brian!

your probably right Jakeadoo. How often do we wish we did not hit that "send button". We are all guilty of that.

Here's a thought....
So, Skakun doesn't agree with what he thinks is a problem.
Does he give thought to what he may be doing?
Does he seek advice from someone?
Does he go to a lawyer and ask what the ramifications may be??
NO, he ran to the nearest media outlet he could find and dumped it in their lap.
Then he pleads not guilty.
This guy loves the attention.
Remember when he stood up against UFC type events?
What happened, he was splashed all over the press, and he cost the city some money.
He didn't change a single thing.
He is reactive, not proactive, and worse, its a knee jerk reaction.
I'll say it again, quit.

Buzzbomb,do you think you can do a better Job??Brian stands out from the crowd, and gives it all he has, right or wrong. I'll say it again Brian do not quit.

Well put buzzbomb.

Couldn't agree more.

There is some mean people that write on this site.Kick a guy when he is down.