Moncton commission hit with 2 new resignations

Two more board members have resigned from the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission, roughly a month after the organization was the centre of a scathing report from the provinces auditor general.

A third person is also considering his future involvement in the commission.

There used to be six people on the commissions board of directors, but two representatives from the city of Moncton have sent in their letters of resignation.

Jillian Porter said shes stepping away from the controversial board because she's pregnant.

Meanwhile, Paul Belliveau, said he has resigned from several volunteer positions in Moncton in order to spend more time with his family.

Though he tells the city, since change is coming, Moncton would be better represented by someone who was not on the current board.

Ed Pitre, who represents the provincial government on the board, said he's thinking about his options.

The resignations follow the lead of Sylvia Michaud, who had served as Dieppes representative since 2009, butresigned in August citing complaints over the management style used by the chair, Ron LeBlanc.

The auditor general recommends Leblancand other long-serving board members be replaced immediately.

LeBlanc, who has been the commissions chairman for 27 years, has criticized Auditor General Kim MacPhersons report. He has also described the audit process as a "political witchhunt."

If Pitre were to leave the board, that would leave two people: the representative from Riverview and the boards chairman.

The commission was hauled in front of a special meeting of the three local councils earlier in November.

The commission promised to be more open and accountable to the councils of Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

Financial concerns

The auditor generals report found a series of problems at the commission ranging from excessive travel to financial mismanagement.

The commissions chairman was singled out in the auditor general's report for questionable spending, including his Blackberry bill that averaged $550 a month, and $9,600 a year in office expenses, for which no invoices were filed, and $5,800 in claims for travel, which did not include supporting invoices.

The Opposition Liberals have called for a public inquiry and for the chairman to be immediately removed from his position.

It was Liberal MLA Roland Hach, when he was the environment minister, who sent a letter to the auditor general asking for the independent financial watchdog to do a review of the provinces wastewater commissions.

One of the recommendations coming out of the report was for the provincial government to replace the various long-time board members.

Environment Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney has said she's willing to look at changes to the way wastewater commissions are run, but she is not prepared to fire anyone.

LeBlanc has said in interviews that he is also considering whether hell stay at the commission.