Mayor Shari Green denies a Haldi Road area resident's allegation that she was in a conflict of interest when she voted on whether to allow the Northern Supportive Recovery Centre to go ahead.
Green was among the council members who in April voted in favour of rezoning land at 5877 Leslie Road to allow construct of the 30-bed residential women's therapeutic facility. A few weeks after the vote, Torre Pettersen filed a petition seeking an order to quash the decision.
In part, Pettersen claims Green was in a conflict due to a long-standing friendship with Brian Fehr, one of the shareholders in the company that owns the land, formerly the home of Haldi Road elementary school.
Green has an "indirect interest" in passing the relevant bylaws because that action "would indirectly benefit her long term friend," according to Pettersen's petition.
But in a response filed this week at the Prince George courthouse, Green says otherwise, and noted that prior to first reading of the relevant bylaws in December 2012, she received a legal opinion that she was not in a conflict.
Just prior to final reading in April, Pettersen forwarded a legal opinion to city council concluding Green was in a conflict, expressly stating that Green was an "old friend" of Fehr. But on the day of the vote, Green received a further legal opinion that she was not in a conflict and acted accordingly, according to the response, filed Wednesday.
"The allegation of a conflict which is said to have disqualified the Mayor is based entirely on the argument that she and Mr. Fehr are 'old friends,'" the response states. "Both the Mayor and Mr. Fehr have denied that and in the face of the evidence, there is no basis to conclude that there was a conflict."
Green did withdraw from voting when the issue previously went to council in November 2011, the response notes, because one of her campaign workers worked for Fehr at the time. However, that person has "subsequently left the employment of anyone in any way connected with the development and so she was no longer in a conflict."
Council's earlier vote in favour of the centre was overturned when a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the attempt to rezone the property violated the community plan. In response, council amended the plan following a public hearing, in addition to passing a zoning amendment in April.
Green "does not now nor has she ever had any financial interest in the project or the lands," the response also states.
Pettersen's latest claim is based in part on a letter included in supporting documents that Green wrote to Fehr in April 2012 regarding disparaging comments then-Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Pat Bell had made to her about him.
Green called the comments "shocking" and told Fehr that he is a "fabulous person" and that she has the "utmost respect" for him and the "incredible things you are doing to make your community better."
Bell has since said he has apologized to Fehr for the comments. They have been at odds after Fehr's BID Group of Companies did not make the final list of companies invited to make a bid on the contract for the Wood Innovation and Design Centre at Fifth and George downtown.
