Grand Forks Councillor Julia Butler not in conflict

The Honourable Mr. Justice Greyell of BC Supreme Court ruled Monday in the City’s application to have the office of Councillor Julia Butler declared vacant on the basis that she contravened sections 100 and 101 of the Community Charter.

In Reasons for Judgment, Justice Greyell held that, while Councillor Butler “clearly had a direct conflict of interest when she participated in discussion about the [Water Meter] Program before she divested herself of doing business as Eden [Yardcare] in early March, 2015”, she did not have a conflict of interest when she voted on the bylaw. On that basis, Justice Greyell dismissed the City’s application, with costs to Councillor Julia Butler. In a twelve page document, Mr. Justice Greyell provided his rationale for the judgement.

In May of 2015, Grand Forks City Council filed a Petition with the Supreme Court to have Councillor Butler’s perceived conflict of interest reviewed. Mr. Justice Greyell ruled today that Councillor Butler will not be removed from office as Councillor for the City of Grand Forks.

The City has 30 days to consider whether to appeal Justice Greyell’s decision to the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

Previously – May 15 2015
A city councillor in Grand Forks is facing unemployment after fellow councillors approved an application to have her disqualified.

Coun. Julia Butler denies the accusations, but council believes she may be in a conflict on interest.

The city’s application sought a court declaration of disqualification against her.

The move stems from allegations that Butler and Mayor Frank Konrad were in a conflict of interest regarding the city’s water meter work program.

“As we both had a strong objection to the program during the campaign period, it isn’t surprising that proponents of the commodification of water should object to our involvement,” Butler wrote in a letter to the editor of the The Castlegar Source.

In response to what Butler refers to as a “witch hunt,” Butler says she hired the municipal law firm Baker and Baker, at her own expense, to investigate any conflict. Her legal team found the conflict of interest provisions of the Community Charter did not apply to her.

Source: Castanet