So long, farewell: Aspden

By BOB BRUTON BARRIE EXAMINER November 30 2010
Dave Aspden has said goodbye, long after he was already done as Barrie’s mayor.
He presided over his last city council meeting Monday, just a week before Coun. Jeff Lehman is officially sworn in as his successor during the Dec. 6 inaugural meeting.
Aspden finished a distant fifth in the Oct. 25 municipal election, behind Lehman, former Barriearea MPP Joe Tascona, Rob Hamilton, who Aspden displaced as mayor in 2006, and Coun. Mike Ramsay. He finished ahead of Harry Ahmed, Carl Hauck and Darren Roskam.
Aspden had a tumultuous four years as Barrie mayor, from 2006-2010, in which he gradually alienated members of council and city residents. His actions and conduct were like no other Barrie mayor of the last 25 years.
“But with all the innuendo and allegations, I was cleared of any wrong-doing,” said Aspden Monday in his closing remarks to the outgoing council.
“Not one member of council ever came to me and said ‘sorry, we jumped the gun’.”
In January of 2007, Aspden, the Barrie police board chairman, wrote a character reference letter for Barrie Const. Brian Byblow — who was the subject of a disciplinary hearing. It found Byblow guilty of discreditable conduct relating to a 2005 incident.
In early to mid-April, the mayor took a secretive trip to China with two developers with land interests in both Barrie and Innisfil, and who both contributed to Aspden’s election campaign.
Later that same month, city council asked for an OPP investigation into Aspden’s China trip and an Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (OCCPS) probe of his conduct as chairman of the city’s police board. Both investigations went forward.
In early December of 2007, as his OCCPS hearing began, Aspden made a deal with the commission and admitted unintentional misconduct in violating the Police Services Act’s code of conduct, for writing the Byblow letter. His penalty was his suspension from the police board for most of that year.
In January of 2008, Aspden frustrated city councillors by refusing to answer their questions about the deal he made with OCCPS, citing solicitor/client privilege.
That April, the OPP announced its investigation into Aspden’s China trip produced no evidence of criminal misconduct.
“The lives of myself and my partner were turned upside down,” Aspden said, referring to tax returns and bank accounts.
But the mayor’s problems didn’t end there.
Aspden racked up $65,930 in legal expenses in 2007, and city taxpayers were on the hook for $38,470 of that bill, plus another $1,200 to review the file. The city’s indemnification bylaw pays the legal expenses of council members and city staff, provided they have acted honestly and in good faith.
The mayor was left with a legal bill of $27,460, after council capped his paid limit at 100 hours.
Earlier this year, Aspden placed ads costing more than $7,600 in The Globe and Mail newspaper and the Workopolis website to recruit a new police chief without the knowledge or consent of board members Doug Jure, police board chairman, and Coun. Jerry Moore. Rick Jones, the former police board chairman, resigned after the first newspaper ad was published.
The police board, city council and Aspden have all said they wouldn’t pay for the ads.
An argument can also be made that Aspden’s behaviour as mayor led to city council passing a code of conduct, to establish an agreed set of principles to guide the ethical performance and demeanour of elected members and committee appointees as they conduct their public duties.
It addresses behaviour such as discreditable conduct, respect for the decision-making process, the use of city property, the improper use of influence, conduct respecting staff and honesty. The code also asks that councillors focus on issues rather than personalities, and avoid aggressive, offensive or abusive conduct.
Before the code of conduct was approved, this council took steps to control the conduct of Aspden, and future mayors.
Early in this term, it was decided that when any council members, including the mayor, meets with federal or provincial government officials, on behalf of the city, the city administrator or a designate must be included in the meeting and recorded minutes taken.
The mayor’s office must inform council of all functions the mayor has been asked to attend, and have the acting mayor (rotated monthly among city councillors) attend in place of the mayor, should he not be able to attend inter-governmental meetings.
Senior staff are to go with the mayor to such meetings having anything to do with city affairs.
Aspden had some advice for the incoming council on Monday, despite his troubles during the past four years.
“Listen to history and understand it so the same mistakes are not made twice. Vote for what you believe in,” he said. “I’ve always voted on issues on what was in the best interests of the city.
“And stay away from the party politics that are seeping into city hall like mould.”
Aspden’s term of office officially ends Nov. 30.
Aspden and Couns. Rod Jackson, Jerry Moore and Andrew Prince all received Council Service Awards on Monday. Jackson and Prince were defeated in their respective wards and Moore chose not to run for re-election. Ramsay did not attend Monday’s meeting.