Controversial vehicle deal dominates debate at Charlottetown council
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown metropolis council voted unanimously on July 11 to convey two events collectively to speak a couple of deal to buy municipal autos.
Earlier this 12 months, council voted to signal on to a controversial automobile lease settlement and fleet administration proposal with U.S.-based Enterprise Fleet Administration, versus working instantly with native dealerships.
That settlement instantly raised the ire of the P.E.I. Car Sellers Affiliation.
At council’s common month-to-month assembly July 11, a decision made its method to the ground to rescind the settlement with Enterprise.
That led to greater than a half-hour of debate however, in the long run, Coun. Terry MacLeod stated there have been too many unanswered questions and moved a deferral.
That deferral requires representatives from the affiliation and Enterprise to satisfy with council and do away with the entire confusion that has surrounded a subject town has been debating for the previous eight months.
The deferral handed 9-0. Coun. Mitchell Tweel didn’t attend the assembly.
Coun. Terry Bernard led off the talk on the preliminary decision to rescind the deal, primarily based on a advice from the finance committee.
The Enterprise deal got here to town primarily based on a advice from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
Town’s cope with Enterprise would see 19 municipal autos bought as a part of the 2022-23 capital price range. Enterprise was tasked with discovering autos for town on the lowest worth potential.
Bernard stated the settlement would save town $260,000.
“We’ve had the finance supervisor clarify that it is an incredible deal for town,” Bernard stated. “Metropolis comptroller says the identical factor. The fleet supervisor (for town) recommends it and public works is saying the identical factor.”
Bernard added that in his 22 years on council he’s by no means seen town move up on saving lots of of hundreds of taxpayers’ {dollars}. He additionally challenged Coun. Jason Coady, chair of the finance committee, for supporting the decision to rescind the deal.
Coady stated town’s personal authorized counsel stated correct course of wasn’t adopted in reaching the cope with Enterprise.
“Positive, this was really helpful by FCM but when it’s so good, why aren’t extra municipalities participating,” Coady stated, including that town might simply as simply commerce autos on the top of their worth and earn a living that approach.
Some councillors oppose the Enterprise deal as a result of it means town isn’t procuring native.
Bernard argues that the autos are nonetheless bought in P.E.I. the entire upkeep work will finished right here, including that 16 of 19 autos have been bought from Honest Isle Ford in Charlottetown.
Charlie Fitzpatrick, president of the affiliation, instructed SaltWire Community in February the Enterprise proposal contains the utilization of an internet automobile upkeep authorization device which suggests there isn’t a assure municipal automobile restore work can be finished by native firms.
Fitzpatrick additionally famous it is very important have a look at all extra charges within the proposal, similar to markup, extra finance prices, month-to-month per-vehicle upkeep, administration charges, cost to restore services and month-to-month inside restore charges.
In the long run, council agreed to convey Enterprise and the sellers affiliation to the desk as soon as and for all to get the entire confusion sorted out.
Council will then determine whether or not to proceed with the Enterprise deal or rescind it.
Dave Stewart is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by e mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @DveStewart.
