A Donalda councillor has donated $50 to the village after some residents criticized him for using village equipment to clear snow for a community supporter in what he described as a good deed.
“When a small community can’t help someone out (like that), we have lost all sense of community and it’s a pretty sad day,” said Coun. Chad Whiteside, who offered to donate $50 shortly before Christmas and after the Village of Donalda council discussed the issue in-camera.
Whiteside told the Stettler Independent that he used a small tractor with a plow from the village public works department to clear the driveway just three miles from Donalda for one hour and 15 minutes.
“I helped someone out — it was not for personal gain,” said Whiteside, who noted that his donation was higher than the cost to rent such a machine.
Calling it a “petty issue,” he said residents who expressed concern about his actions should think again.
“If the people who take 10 per cent of their time to complain about small issues and put that (time) into positively contributing to the community, it would be a much better place,” Whiteside said.
While he said he would plow snow again to help someone out, the councillor said it can sometimes be a thankless role to serve as an elected official.
“You sit on council to make a difference in the community (and) you do something, and then people pick it apart,” Whiteside said.
One longtime resident was adamantly opposed to Whiteside’s use of village equipment.
“He has no right taking anything from public works,” said John Matheson, who had notified the Independent in protest. “I’m upset and the problem shouldn’t go away.”
Donalda Mayor Bruce Gartside said the councillor was willing to pay for operating the equipment.
“He was expecting a bill and asked for a bill,” Gartside said.
Going in-camera at the village council’s regular meeting in late December, the mayor and Al Ebel, the other councillor on the three-man council, discussed the issue, and a motion to send Whiteside a bill was defeated before he offered to make the $50 donation, Gartside said.