Council candidate Justin Pelant speaks for small business
The Nelson Daily, Nov. 4, 2014
Bill Metcalfe
Pelant's answers to 2 of Metcalfe's questions below - contrary to providing clarity for the non-business/not-wealthy segment of the electorate - may now raise pointed concern among them over his cozy (ongoing yes/no/what) connection(s) with the Chamber of Commerce (NDCC) and Economic Development Partnership (NAEDP).
These 2 questions - in local main-stream media finally! - are a direct result of earlier observations in 3 blog-posts immediately below: the electorate deliberately, consistently diddled for political advantage by 1 Council candidate.
Metcalfe:
Why, and when, did you step down as president of the Chamber of Commerce?
Pelant:
I stepped down as president because it could be viewed as a conflict of interest. I had not stepped down when I announced that I was running because two of the other executive council (?) were out of town and we were in the midst of selling our building. So at our next meeting two weeks later, I put forward a motion that I was stepping down. Depending on the outcome of the election I will either come back as past president or I will step down entirely. So I am on a leave of absence right now.
We will probably never know whether-or-not he actually did step down - seeing there has been so much dodging-and-weaving and evidence to the contrary thus far (see earlier 3 posts!).
What we do know: since his candidacy announcement, Oct. 8, until the SPAN all-candidates forum, Nov. 5 - Pelant repeatedly publicly used his connection with the NDCC/NAEDP to give substance to his candidacy for City Councillor.
So what's with this leave of absence?
His only-now-declared intention to have wanted to step down from the start, Oct. 8, and reasons for not doing so then are disingenuous at best. Why wait until cornered to speak-up about it - 2 weeks after he supposedly stepped-down? Clearly - his candidacy was hatched within the NDCC collective - way before its announcement. Thus - had the appearance of a possible conflict of interest actually been on the table then: this could/should have been handled before two of the other executive council (sic) were out of town and before we were in the midst of selling our building.
In the midst of selling our building??? As Joan Rivers used to say: Can we talk?!
Thus far running his NDCC/NAEDP-Botox act for 29 days out of 39 - between candidacy announcement and election. I say: thus far!
Metcalfe:
Does this apply also to being on the board of the NAEDP?
Pelant:
No, because it is a partnership between the Chamber, the City and local businesses. I have talked to other members on the board and they said,"We still want you on (the board)." I will continue on that board whether I get elected or not, if they still want me.
If possible conflict of interest applies to the NDCC connection - it does even more so to this here Partnership! The NDCC - coaching local businesses - is funded by them and partly by the City. And Chamber Prez Pelant was appointed to the NAEDP-Board by the NDCC. Putting the NDCC in charge of the NAEDP. I am not aware of the NAEDP receiving any funding from the City - you following me so far? Deep breath: while Council candidate Pelant now is-or-not at the NDCC-top - he definitely is on the NAEDP-Board. Same shtick. With not a word from its City reps: Councillors Kiss and Kozak - the latter a candidate for Mayor. And John Dooley - current mayor and NDCC champion - wanting to be re-elected. Probably worried about that - so there's all-around urgency! Got it?
That other members on the board...still want you on (the board) - though cuddly - is seriously immaterial in this situation. If nothing else: a dinky preference over integrity.
Altogether not trust-building! For a Councillor-in-trying!
I don't know Pelant personally, and my problem is not with him but the NDCC: a moneyed old-boys' club of all-pervasive local influence, with the Nelson Star's direct backing and ideologically that of the current mayor.
Ultimately Pelant is negligible as a viable presence in his own campaign: solely run as a means to get legitimate/permanent access to City Hall's 2nd Floor.
And while one would expect this backing to generate great star-power - it has left him colorless and hardly there there. Left! Because - to the great unwashed - his backers have been unable to seamlessly mesh his candidacy with their intentions: it's all blatantly about the NDCC - see its repetitious Star-coverage - with Pelant in a clumsy orbit, held sort-of in place by the group's gravitational forces only.
Running for elective City office should mean: for the start-to-finish duration - officially, publicly severing all existing professional ties - and avoiding any reference to them for advantage - with the City!
Not done here - in a watered-down version of American politics!
VOTE INTEGRITY!
Both questions/answers are direct quotes/copies.
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