Mayor Sees No Need To Recuse Himself

By Robert Thomas

Although he received a $5,000 donation by a numbered company who has a shareholder who happens to serve as the CEO of a private firm receiving a major financial guarantee Mayor Clive Tolley says there was no need to recuse himself from a debate and vote at the April 25, 2022 Council meeting.

The Mayor was asked at the post Council news scrum whether he should have recused himself from voting to extend the financial guarantee to the airport upgrades on behalf of the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority (MJMAA) because a major campaign contributor is the CEO of a firm involved in the financing deal.

Mayor Tolley saw no reason to do so.

Council unanimously agreed to extend the guarantee from April 30, 2022 until October 31, 2022 as there is still some minor work to be completed to finish the Municipal Airport’s $3,000,000 runway extension and upgrades.

The issue was whether Mayor Tolley found it appropriate to be involved in the debate as his largest campaign contributor - Shea Jameson through a numbered company - was a benefactor of the MJMAA financing deal from another company he is the CEO for.

“Well Shea Jameson’s company provided me with a contribution to my campaign not JGL (Livestock),” Mayor Tolley said.

Asked further “But Shea Jameson owns JGL (Livestock)?” the Mayor said that was not correct.

“No,” the Mayor said, adding “I don’t know just who the ownership group is but it includes Bill Jameson and Robin Gilroy and others. But I do not see that as a conflict of interest.”

Jameson is listed as the CEO of JGL Livestock the media pointed out.

“I just thought it maybe looks bad when Shea Jameson has supported you…and JGL is providing the money (to provide the MJMAA interim project funding),” Jason Antonio from the Moose Jaw Express asked.

“I don’t think I am going to vote against or declare a pecuniary interest for something, this line of credit we haven’t used. And as Mr Acker has said the City of Moose Jaw hasn’t been out any money,” the Mayor responded.

“It has not been used this line of credit. This is a guarantee in case it has to be used.”

“I don’t see this as a conflict interest at all,” the Mayor said, adding “I see this as me supporting the City of Moose Jaw supporting the airport. And quite frankly I don’t make that connection you are bringing forward because the contribution that I got was from a numbered company owned partly by Shea Jameson.”

“I didn’t make the connection between JGL (Livestock) and the (Municipal) Airport. Some people may but I didn’t.”

JGL Livestock is providing the interim construction financing to the MJMAA with the City guaranteeing the funds. JGL Livestock will earn $2,000 - $3,000 by providing the interim financing to the MJMAA.

Additionally JGL Livestock or its owners have a jet which will now be able to safely land at the Municipal Airport now that the runway has been extended. Previously the jet was hangered and flew out of Regina.

Mayor Clive Tolley - MJ Independent file photo

Mayor Supports The Airport Upgrade Project

The extended runway at the MJMAA serves both local and out of town users and is an important part of economic development Mayor Tolley said.

“It works the other way to. There are people who don’t live in Moose Jaw and they want to do business in Moose Jaw have the ability to land at the airport and have a hangar there and do some business and return home,” he said.

“So I think that for a whole bunch of economic reasons having a good airport is essential for Moose Jaw. People have said in the past it is only 45 to 50 minutes to get to an airport but people who are busy and have their own personal aircraft or the aircraft is owned by their company that makes a difference as well. They can land in Moose Jaw.”

Mayor Tolley sees the upgraded airport as a key to unlock Moose Jaw’s economic future.

“For an economic development point of view it is a very good idea for us to have a good airport. And the investment made in the airport last year are by and large complete,” he said, adding “the runway is installed and being used. But there are a few things that, like some lighting, just a few small things that once the (Winter) weather hit they weren’t quite finished.”