Photo: Contributed

A city councillor in Grand Forks is facing unemployment after fellow councillors approved an application to have her disqualified.

Coun. Julia Butler denies the accusations, but council believes she may be in a conflict on interest.

The city's application, filed on Wednesday, seeks a court declaration of disqualification against her.

The move stems from allegations that Butler and Mayor Frank Konrad were in a conflict of interest regarding the city's water meter work program.

“As we both had a strong objection to the program during the campaign period, it isn’t surprising that proponents of the commodification of water should object to our involvement,” Butler wrote in a letter to the editor of the The Castlegar Source.

In response to what Butler refers to as a "witch hunt," Butler says she hired the municipal law firm Baker and Baker, at her own expense, to investigate any conflict. Her legal team found the conflict of interest provisions of the Community Charter did not apply to her.

Following that, to further remove herself from any further perception of conflict, she dissolved her personal yard-care business and took work with another company.

But the city sought its own legal opinion, which determined Konrad has an indirect pecuniary conflict of interest in relation to the water meter work, while Butler has a direct pecuniary interest.

Council further determined that Butler is in breach of her oath of office.

The city claims council moved forward with the petition to protect the best interests of the organization.

Despite this move, Butler claims no wrongdoing and plans to fight the application and stay in her council seat.

“I plan on following through with the promises I made to the public in November, to help keep water affordable for all members of our community and to minimize unreasonable government intrusion into residents’ homes,” wrote Butler.