It's too early to tell what action city council will take following the B.C. Supreme Court ruling on Coun. Brian Skakun's petition, according to Mayor Dan Rogers.
On Thursday Justice Robert Crawford ruled city council does have the authority to censure Skakun based on his May conviction under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. However, in his ruling Crawford urged the City of Prince George to proceed with any censure and sanctions with caution.
"The first step will be to receive the official ruling. Council needs to take some time to digest the decision," Rogers said. "It's probably premature to speculate on when and how council will proceed."
Rogers would not speculate if and when a censure hearing would take place - or if the matter would be considered before the Nov. 19 municipal election.
However, Rogers said, he expects when council does discuss its next steps, it will take place in a public meeting.
"It would be an open discussion on what should happen next."
Rogers and Coun. Debora Munoz won't be a part of that discussion, however, as both have committed to withdraw from future discussions of a censure against Skakun.
Part of Skakun's petition requested Rogers, Munoz and councillors Don Bassermann and Murry Krause be excluded from any discussion of a censure. All four gave evidence in Skakun's trial.
Skakun has since withdrawn his request that Krause and Bassermann be excluded from discussion of a censure.
"We wanted to have Coun. Munoz and Mayor Rogers excluded from the hearing, and that happened," Skakun said. "[But] I think its unfortunate for Mayor Rogers... to drop this at literally the 11th hour. In my opinion, that is not what leadership is about. You can't just eliminate your responsibility by saying they want to save the city money."
Skakun said he considers Crawford's ruling to be a partial victory.
"It was a real huge victory on our side to be able to file affidavits and transcripts to council. What we really wanted all along was I am entitled to a fair hearing," he said. "[Now] we have to get on with the hearing, if it's going to happen."
Until council holds the censure hearing, or decides against holding one, the issue will continue to distract attention away from the serious issues facing the city during the upcoming election, he said.
