Theatre of the absurd.
That's how the Mayor of St.Catharines describes a vote by Niagara Region's Audit Committee to get the Ontario Municipal Board to look into Pelham's financial's.
Walter Sendzik tells CKTB's Tom McConnell he doesn't think the region should be poking into individual municipal finances.
Sendzik says he doesn't believe it is the Chair's responsibility to be concerned about lower tier municipalities, saying that is the job of mayors and councillors.
He says the Chair's job is to oversee regional matters.
He adds Alan Caslin is doing an effective job at that.
He says if the Region wants to start shining a light on what each and every municipality is doing, "things will get pretty messy, pretty quick."
He says it is very important that there is a healthy working relationship between local councils and regional council.
Sendzik says it is time to rise above all this stuff.
Niagara is a Region with 12 individual municipalities,which all have their own local councils.
Niagara Regional Council is made up of one regional chair, 12 elected mayors from the municipalities, and 18 elected representatives from Niagara's municipalities.
It was earlier this week members of the Niagara Regional Audit Committee voted to ask the province to have the Ontario Municipal Board conduct its own investigation into the town of Pelham's finances dating back to 2008.
The OMB's Communications Consultant told CKTB yesterday that they would not be able to do that since it's not under their jurisdiction.
However, CKTB is expecting an updated statement shortly on the matter.
This all stems from concerns regarding Pelham's finances, which some have called a 'witch hunt' against Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn from the start.
The town underwent a KPMG last year in response to allegations of 17 million dollars in undisclosed debt.
KPMG was hired and released their investigation into the matter in November clearing the town of any wrongdoing.
Mayor Augustyn joined CKTB's Larry Fedoruk Tuesday afternoon saying residents are confused about the recent OMB vote.
He says many are asking why some Regional officials are beating a dead horse.
Augustyn says the audit, conducted by a third party (KPMG) was expensive and cost the town more than $100,000.
Augustyn says it's a bullying tactic, and looks like this is all in response to the NPCA controversy.
He believes he's being targeted because Pelham and him personally asked questions about the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
Ontario's Auditor General will be conducting an audit on the NPCA.