To the Residents of Vermilion
After waiting a month to gather my thoughts and emotions from my disqualification as Mayor on June 14, I think it’s time transparency takes place. I know every citizen of Vermilion would appreciate that and is entitled to that.
First, a heartfelt thank you to all the people who chose me and voted for me, you all trusted that I could be part of a council to help guide and build Vermilion in a positive direction, to be the spokesperson, and to represent Vermilion with honour and passion. I woke up every day and gave my absolute best. I never claimed to be perfect, but my honesty is pure I wear my heart on my sleeve, no matter what the topic or obstacle I encountered; I never ran or quit!
The truth is though, I have battled and endured more attacks and mental challenges from a few councillors than I did from any citizens of this town. The anxiety and constant mental bullying I endured from Councillor Pulyk was uncomparable in my life. I have battled anxiety and mental bullying my entire life, and Pulyk recreated those fears to me on a weekly basis, there is no reason or excuse for this to happen in a professional adult environment.
It started with his cold demeanor during our first phone call four days after I was elected. He gave his list of committees he “wanted” and said goodbye. Within three more weeks after the phone call my first code of conduct from Pulyk arose, acting on behalf of a citizen. He said that my Mayor application was not legal as it had whiteout on it! And that under a general MGA rule I should be disqualified! The irony and what really shows his true intent is that Councillor Martin had whiteout on his application too, but no code of conduct was issued against him! I am sure you can see the precedent being set. Pulyk said the whiteout on Martin’s application was not his or his “citizens” concern. Two weeks later once council members had completed some research I was found innocent.
During a conversation at a council meeting one Tuesday, he asked me three very deliberate questions, I said they were boring. He point of ordered me, demanding an apology. If I did not apologize, he could make a motion to have me removed from that meeting. With huge displeasure, I apologized. After this apology incident, CAO Lucus, Pulyk and, I had a private meeting in my office to clear the air, I said “Rob, do you have a problem with me?” He answered with, “I am Councillor Pulyk to you, and I am Councillor Pulyk to you everywhere, all the time!” What arrogance and he never demanded that from anyone else on council. Another sign I should have realized his intentions.
A year into council I mentioned to a staff member that Pulyk is always trying to corner me, and get me, well less than an hour later, to my surprise, I ran into Pulyk at Co-op Gas Bar, he comes straight to me, not even a Hi, and his first words, “I am not trying to get you,” and shakes my hand. Remember shaking hands is a sign of trust, and honour. Well, five months later Pulyk brought nine codes of conduct against me. One was as simple as no town letterheads on any of the emails that I sent out. I am not a computer wiz, and I always put Mayor Throndson, something simple, but to him, world peace was put into jeporady. To mention the other eight would be a waste of ink. In total nine codes of conduct were brought against me over a five-month period. Why not address them as they arose. Why, because you get a bigger bang with all at once, execute instead of educate! Is that how we teach in schools or workplaces. I was found guilty of four out of nine. This is the start of the “Door Incident!” On a Friday in March 2023, it was morning when Councillor Conlon and CAO Lucas handed me my verdict on the codes of conducts. Council took away my privilege to go to a three-day convention later that month in Edmonton. Those conventions are filled with learning seminars, speakers, and gatherings with other elected officials. I think that’s what a mayor should do for the Town! But in Pulyks world, a letterhead fault was more important than a Mayor bettering himself.
My biggest fault, in a long long time was my anger getting the best of me, as I left the east doors, I kicked the panic bar (that opens the door) and left. A few weeks later, Pulyk asked why the doors did not open. I said, ”With all honesty, probably me, I was mad and I kicked it when I left the code of conduct meeting!” Two weeks after that, a code of conduct from Pulyk came against me that I acted in a poor behaviour that a Mayor should not portray. Yes, my anger at the moment was extremely inappropriate, and I own that. I owned kicking the door too, but now council deliberates and wants me to pay all $3,600 for a panic door bar that is 20 plus years old, and in the Lloyd Lock & Key report, “The worn out parts could not be replaced.” I offered $1,800 to pay for the damage, council refused it an wanted the full $3,600; so we went to arbitration (which is my right, and cost the Town approximately $3,000), and it is found that Council cannot enforce the costs on me, that it is the role of administration! That was all determined in October or 2023. Then I received a bill in the mail for $7,129 on November 29, 2023. Why $7,129 you ask? Because administration in their great wisdom replaced the adjacent panic bar on the door next to it, and I quote, “Because the new one and old one did not match in colour!” So that is how we get to a $7,129 door. Two panic bars, one I broke, and one did not match. I basically laughed at the bill, along with a little anger, and said not a snowballs chance in hell am I paying that! A local guy said it could have been a $1,200 to $1,500 fix. But now new doors open with an electric FOB, or Designed to, as the old doors opened with keys. I wonder who is paying for the ‘upgrade?’
Who gets a bill for $7,129 with no proof of what you are paying for? I did receive a receipt on April 30th, 2024 the night I was informed they were going to remove me as Mayor.
So, in the elected officials “Rule Book” any elected official with an outstanding bill greater than $500 for 90 days, must resign or be disqualified by a Judge in Court of Kings Bench, so on April 30, 2024, 13 months after the door was broke, and 153 days from when the bill was sent to me, (remember its 90 days, so why wait for 153? seems odd!) council gave me the ultimatum. I was completely caught by surprise. I had a few weeks earlier offered the $3,600 and call it square, it was Denied! So that night I offered to give some money by May 3rd, and the answer was no! I was devastated that what I thought was a team effort, all of us working together, including the CAO was nothing more than a hoax! I did not know this rule even existed along with two or three other council members. Where’s the teamwork? Where’s the friendly reminders on the 60th, 70th, even 85th day that “Mayor, if you do not pay even $5 by the 90 day mark, this happens. ATCO gives warnings when a power bill is late, the Town don’t? It’s like there were forces working together to have me disqualified! Where was the etiquette, compassion to work together? It’s like watching an accident you could easily prevent, but why bother. I wanna see the crash! Some key notes, How do I pay a make believe number? Who pays a make-believe number. Also, our CAO resigned two weeks earlier, read into it what you wish and not to mention Councillor Martin coming after me with 12 codes of conduct on April 16, 2024. These 12 codes were gathered over approximately a three month period. Why now Martin after two years of Greg being Greg did you decide to code of conduct me at that time? I have not changed at all after two and a half years. Council found me guilty on three of the 12. This verdict was also given to me on the night of April 30, 2024. So the punishment for those three codes were losing my right to run any council meetings til the end of my term, and stripped me of all my committee appointments! Yes, I swear, and Martin wrote me up! Yes, I said an inappropriate/bad comment to an employee, but who is my friend and who I bantered with on all my office visits, and she did not complain, but a manager overheard and reported me. That complaint sat on a desk since February 2nd, 2024. So, does anyone other than me see all the buildup of crap against me? Two backstabbing councillors, an administration that eavedropped my every word! I know I am far from perfect, and I am definitely not a politician, but these are all facts the public is entitled to know!
It was going to cost me $3,500 to go to court to battle disqualification, why bother a couple toxic councillors made that impossible for me to want to win and return.
I was Mayor for two years, seven months. I attended meetings with many other Mayors, Councillors, MLA’s, from all over AB and not one complaint from any of them. I represented Vermilion with upmost dignity, not one comment or complaint. But from within my own team, my own councillors and administration I had 11 code of conducts from Pulyk, 12 from Martin, and one from administration. The one from administration I called a Town employee, no council members are allowed to reach out to any town employee but all I was looking for was the concern or well being of an employee! Ya that world peace thing again, not to mention the 18-20 point of orders from Pulyk directed at me. His rude debate that we do not have a $3,000 budget for Talk of The Town Newsletters for the Seniors, that we should buy an IPad and place it at the front desk of the town hall for the seniors to come use it to gain town information, ludicrous theory. He pushed me so hard in that debate I recessed and left the meeting and did not return. He never pushed or instigated with anyone else but me. When my anxiety was pushed to the limit by one individual, it made me not want to go to work. I never knew when or why Pulyk would attack me. I was mentally bullied my whole term by Pulyk, it affected my work, my personal life, it affected me! And he hid behind his MGA Rule book and code of conducts and tormented me every chance he could. That is not right, and is disgusting really, nice team player.
Martin proved his true colours too by blindsiding me. He was running around behind my back, for months, asked manipulative questions to my friends, Councillors and to administration. He exaggerated his 12 codes of conduct to make me look bad, when he took my power, he “allowed” me to speak at St. J Grad, which was a brutal exaggeration of events, St. J wanted me to speak!
These two councillors displayed arrogance, self-righteous, pompous, bullying attitudes towards me. You know what I hate? Manipulating, Lying, Exaggerating Bullies!! I wonder who wants to be the next mayor. Pretty obvious, people need to see and hear how Pulyk disrespected and bullyed me and how Martin exaggerated and attacked me! One Councillor said to me, “Could you be less Greg? What be shorter?” I see his point, but people voted for “Greg”, not the make believe version. Another Councillor told me I got to play the “game” better. What game? False Personality, Manipulation, Back Room Chats, Deliberate Backstabbing? No Thanks, I stayed true to me right to the end, I said I would not quit and I did not!!
I have the upmost respect for the other four councillors. Councillor Whitlocks heart and dedication to the Seniors of Town is second to none.
Councillor Conlon’s true concerns of being more accountable on spending are more than apparent and great to see.
Councillor Snow, who very few people know is a blessing to council. His life experience and morals are so valuable to this council.
Councillor Rayment, his intelligence, common sense and life’s journeys is a huge asset to council.
These four members had the Towns best interest first all the time, I am proud to have worked with them. I consider them friends forever. We as council did some great things and made some good and steady progress. I have faith in those four who will continue to lead this town in the proper direction.
I did an interview with Chris Brown, he interviews Mayors/Councillors all across Canada, I did one with him May 30th, 2024. He has a podcast called Cross Border Interviews with Chris Brown. It was released June 7, 2024. Ironinc, I was disqualified June 14, 2024. The podcast is about 30 minutes, please listen. After the interview, we chatted 1 on 1, and he said Vermilion is so lucky to have a mayor so involved with the community and shows such passion and commitment. I shed a tear knowing I was on my way out, Sad Really. But as Pulyk said, a rule is a rule, you broke it and council must enforce the rules. No one is untouchable. In my words my 10 good things I have done or stood up for in this town outweighs an exaggerated bill and an outdated rule that should be abolished! I did not drive 120km/hr through a school zone and spray paint the town hall with obscenities. I stood up to saying I have rights, and I am not paying an exaggerated bill, or being forced to quit my position!
Towns that prosper are not governed out of a book, but common sense and moral values. Successful farmers farm with their hearts and minds and common sense, not out of a book! I am proud of being part of the Vermilion Lodge Board, we as a group turned that place around to a happy positive place for seniors to live, I feel sorry for them, as the mayor can’t come visit anymore. I stood up as the only person on council to state how wrong it was to buy a work truck from Calgary for Town use. Crazy! I saved all the beautiful trees on Becky Scott trail into the park. The CAO wanted them gone, they were wrecking infrastructure. Crazy to even imply it!! At the end of the day who was punished me or the Town? Well me directly, and the Town indirectly, I am one of Vermilions biggest advocates. It’s a great town, I love it here, Ironically 731 people voted me in, 4-6 people took me out!
This full letter will make it to the desk of our MLA Garth Rowswell and I hope it will be hand delivered to the Honourable Ric McIver, Minister of Municiple Affairs. He can wonder why two councillors resigned last term and a Mayor was disqualified this term, and there is only 1 common denomonator of it all…Pulyk!!!
Vermilion is a great, safe, fun place to live and be part of. The character of the unelected leaders and volunteers here are 2nd to none, Vermilion has a positive future ahead. Enjoy it, Embrace it, Be Part of it!
Thank you with all sincerity Vermilion, thank you for listening, and supporting me. I am truly thankful. It has been an honour I will never forget and cherish every moment forever.
Greg Throndson
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