Conflict case against Mayor Orsi under review

By Sara Ross, Orillia Packet & Times July18 2012

ORILLIA – Orillia’s integrity commissioner has opened a case into a potential conflict of interest involving Mayor Angelo Orsi.

In June, Orillian John Bleasby filed a formal complaint to Suzanne Craig, stating he feels Orsi should declare a conflict of interest in all matters pertaining to the location of a proposed multi-use recreation facility.

Orillia adopted a code of conduct March 5. The integrity commissioner investigates all alleged breaches of the code.

Craig — who was appointed the city’s integrity commissioner in May — is now investigating the case.

“I rather expected it, but it’s nice to have confirmation that she didn’t see this as frivolous,” Bleasby said Wednesday. “…She sees this as an issue worth exploring and investigating. I’m very pleased it’s going to the next step.”

In an email response, Orsi said it is “inappropriate” for him to comment at this time, as the file is before the integrity commissioner.

“I await the findings of the integrity commissioner,” Orsi said. “If you require further information or comment, please contact the integrity commissioner’s office directly.”

Craig could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Bleasby said, since launching his complaint, Craig has contacted him for some clarification on public statements made by the mayor and to verify other points he made.

Bleasby could not talk about the information Craig is gathering, as it is confidential.

Craig has been in touch with Orsi, Bleasby added.

“She’s confirmed that she’s got everything she needs and she’s going to start doing whatever she has to do,” he said.

In June, Craig told The Packet & Times a conflict of interest would be one in which “a member of council stands to gain from his or her vote on an item at council in some way.”

Craig has 90 days from the time the complaint was launched to write a report.

The report will be submitted to council and recommendations will be made. Craig said the final report is public, but any information received during her investigation is confidential. Recommendations, she said, could include removal from a committee, remediation of a policy, issuance of an apology or, in the case of a conflict of interest, council could decide to take a vote again.

“They’re only recommendations. It would be up to council to decide to receive my recommendations and act on them, or not, or amend them,” Craig said in June.

Bleasby said he’s been following the city’s own code of conduct in launching his complaint.

“I’ve had this concern for a while. It was an election issue,” he said.

Prior to the code of conduct being in place, Bleasby had no way to voice his concerns, he said.

“This is something council really wanted to put in place,” Bleasby said of the code of conduct. “I’m simply taking advantage of what the mayor himself put in place.”

Following the code of conduct, Bleasby first made an informal complaint to Orsi himself.

In May, he wrote a letter to the mayor,

“(I) suggested I perceived he was in a conflict on interest through his participation in a number of different committee meetings and council meetings where the location of recreation facilities were involved,” Bleasby said. “It was well known at the time… that locations in west Orillia were amongst locations under consideration.”

Companies tied to Orsi own land in west Orillia.

“He didn’t respond to that right away. So I wrote a second letter,” Bleasby said. “(It said) if you don’t respond to me or indicate you’re going to declare a conflict of interest, then I will file a formal complaint.”

Bleasby said Orsi responded to the second letter, but just told Bleasby to direct his concerns to the city clerk.

After launching the complaint, Bleasby was contacted by people he knew and didn’t know.

“A lot of it was just plain encouragement because I think the concern is shared by a lot of people,” he said.

Bleasby is pleased Orillia has put a mechanism in place for citizens to hold municipal politicians accountable.

“I think the citizens of Orillia, such as myself, are relying on this code of conduct for the accountability and transparency that was promised to us by this council when they ran for election,” he said. “I think this is good news for the citizens of Orillia.”

Bleasby is prepared to accept Craig’s outcome.

“Whatever her findings or whatever her recommendations are, I will accept, of course, because she is that objective third party,” he said.