Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 22/02) - A town employee may be charged with destruction of private property for allegedly wilfully defacing a municipal election poster.

Vince Sharpe brought the complaint forward during public question period at last week's regular meeting of town council.

"One of your employees was destroying election posters, during an election process, between the time nominations closed and before the polls closed," Sharpe said.

Sharpe said while he was at True Value Hardware he noticed the man defacing one of his election posters.

"I said, 'You know that's against the law?' and he said, 'Oh yeah, but it's funny,'" Sharpe said.

He disputed the process and the length of time it's taken the town to deal with the matter, but Mayor Peter Clarkson said the complaint must be presented in writing during public question period.

"Anything raised during public question period goes to committee, so that council can make an informed decision," Clarkson said.

Sharpe reported the incident to the RCMP and asked the man be charged with vandalism.

"If he went to court he'd wind up with a criminal record and a charge of vandalism and he wouldn't be an employee of yours," Sharpe said.

He said the complaint should have been dealt with internally and accused the mayor of condoning the vandalism.

"If you let one of your management employees going around doing these types of things, during an election process and do nothing and say nothing to that person, it seems to me and the whole community that you're condoning that action," he said.

Clarkson said the committee will review the complaint and the necessary action will be taken.

Sharpe shouted down the mayor and left the meeting.

"You took no action and I'm sorrowfully disappointed with you and your administration for not taking action at the time," he said.

Cpl. Woody Woodfine of the Inuvik RCMP said charges have not yet been laid and the investigation is continuing.