Innisfil mayor breached code of conduct during campaign: Commish

The town’s integrity commissioner, John Mascarin, concluded in a report to council there was a single breach of the code for which Baguley could be reprimanded or face a 90-day suspension of pay.

But Mascarin, who was appointed under the Municipal Act last year, recommended she not face any sanctions when he filed his report during Wednesday night’s council meeting.

Baguley lost her mayoral bit in last month’s municipal election to Gord Wauchope, who officially becomes mayor at the Dec. 3 meeting of council.

Complaints filed on Sept. 18 alleged that Baguley had contravened the code of conduct for members of council by using the town’s corporate logos on her election material. They also alleged she posted the same graphics on her Facebook page as well as meet and greet posters.

Section 12 of the Municipal Act bans the use of municipal resources or property for election activities or campaigns, which would include the use of the town logo.

Baguley left the mayor’s chair and sat in the audience while Mascarin read his report to council and staff.

“Mayor Baguley did not dispute that she used the corporate logos on her website,” Mascarin said. “My view is that she did contravene the code of conduct by using the resources.”
He accepted the mayor’s explanation, that she “had not realized that they were actually town resources under the code of conduct,” an explanation he found “plausible, and understandable.”

Mascarin also noted the logos were removed by Baguley the same day the Elections Officer notified her they could be a contravention, and apologized for the error.

He dismissed the complaint related to the Facebook page because it is a private account that was established and administered by Baguley herself, and not the town. The meet and greet graphics that were posted on both the campaign website and Facebook page also were not in contravention, because they were created by a family member, used no municipal funding and were posted on private sites.

“(After) having apologized and having admitted her mistake and removing the materials, my recommendation is that no sanctions be imposed on Mayor Baguley,” Mascarin told councillors.

Council accepted his recommendation and Baguley resumed her seat in the mayor’s chair for the rest of the meeting.