Derek Crowell, Ward 1 Council candidate, will request to sit on the PUC Inc. Board of Directors if elected.
“Itʼs simply a matter of leadership,” stated Crowell. “Residents of Ward 1 have been unduly affected by a decision made without adequate consultation. We deserve accountability from our elected representatives.”
PUC Inc. is wholly owned by the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie. The PUC Inc. Board of Directors currently consists of nine directors, three of whom are city councillors.
“There is a lesson to be learned from the mistakes made during the decision to change the chlorination of our drinking water.” In 2011 PUC determined that reverting to the traditional free chlorine method would save costs in upgrading of its infrastructure.
“Council needs to take a more proactive role in the decision-making of PUC Inc.” Crowell states that the selection process for the PUC Inc. Board of Directors should be reviewed and a clear policy put in place. “If Council and PUC want to avoid the errors of the past and regain the trust of taxpayers and customers, changes must be made.”
“The appointment of the PUC Inc. Board of Directors is made at the discretion of Council, so there should be very clear guidelines. If we require a majority of councillors on the PUC Inc. Board of Directors to adequately represent our citizens, I would support it.
