Another week, another local scandal involving the municipality.

Is anyone else getting tired of this old refrain? Well, at least it’s good fodder for the local newspapers and pundits such as yours truly.

In fact, this week Whistlerites were treated to two muni brouhahas — the seemingly ridiculous challenging of election candidates because forms were filled out incorrectly and the somewhat concerning findings of the municipal service review.

Residents weighed in on social media with disbelief and disgust as the news that Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, Jack Crompton, Steve Anderson and Steve Andrews are all headed for court because they apparently filled out their nomination forms incorrectly.

We share those sentiments and agree with comments that the whole shemozzle is a waste of time and money for the candidates, the municipality and the courts. And for what? The word on the street is the challenges have moved forward for fear of future legal action against the municipality or the possibility that the election results could be legally questioned.

Still, it’s worth noting that many questions remain unanswered — but not for lack of trying. As soon as The Question learned of the candidates being challenged on Tuesday (Oct. 18), we submitted a request for an interview to the municipal communications department. After multiple emails and phone calls, providing a list of detailed questions — such as why some candidates were informed of mistakes on their forms before the deadline and these four only told after the fact — all we received was a prepared statement, just seven sentences long, that doesn’t say much.

So much for the new communications policy leading to more open and accountable sharing of information. Oh, but that was the muni scandal from two weeks ago — we’re getting sidetracked.

We can only hope and trust that the judge on Friday (Oct. 21) quickly dismisses the challenges with some strong words to the municipality’s elections staff not to waste the court’s time in future. Whether or not the affected candidates are the best choices to lead Whistler as members of council, we believe their names should be included on the ballot and we offer our support in that endeavour.

While the election scandal was seeming to draw all the public attention and ire, details of the long-awaited municipal service review were released — and endorsed by council — at Tuesday’s meeting.

On the surface, the recommendation to reduce municipal staffing levels by the equivalent of 14 full-time positions sounds promising. It’s been a long time coming. But the suggestion is the cuts will occur by attrition — the positions won’t be filled after current employees resign or retire.

Forgive us for being cynical, but who in their right mind is going to quit a cushy municipal job with great pay and awesome benefits? And it could be a long wait for many until retirement, and then taxpayers are still on the hook for the generous public sector pensions.

The attrition “clause,” therefore, makes the municipality’s press release misleading when it claims, “The savings (realized through the review recommendations) will be achieved in the 2012 budget.”

The communications department strikes again.

What we’ve seen of the service review so far also doesn’t seem to address the issue of trimming the fat at the middle and upper-management level at muni hall. The anticipated reduction in staff appears to be coming from front-line and lower level positions.

Other areas for concern in the service review include the planned reduction in youth programming, snow clearing, parks maintenance and other areas that could be felt by residents. Yes, cuts have to be found, but there needs to be a balance between the resort and local community sides of the equation.

More details on the service review are coming, and we’re told the full report will be made public. Let’s hope it’s released in enough time that the subject can be part of meaningful election debate.

- Jennifer Miller