Wasaga council goes ahead with integrity commissioner appointment
By Ian Adams Wasaga Sun
Wasaga’s deputy mayor says council needed “all the facts” before OK’ing an integrity commissioner position for the municipality.
On Tuesday, the majority of councillors disagreed, ratifying a recommendation made during its Wednesday, May 20 general government committee to establish the role of integrity commissioner.
Under Ontario’s Municipal Act, the integrity commissioner is responsible for investigating public complaints against councillors who are alleged to have violated a municipality’s code of conduct. In most municipalities with an integrity commissioner, the role is a contract position, with the individual – usually a lawyer with a background in municipal law – paid an annual retainer and a per-hour cost based on investigations.
New regulations to be proclaimed in January as part of Bill 8, The Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, will establish the Ontario ombudsman as the default accountability officer for municipal governments that do not have their own.
The recommendation to appoint an integrity commissioner for Wasaga Beach was made by Mayor Brian Smith.
“While I believe this council would benefit from an integrity commissioner, I believe we need all the facts, including the financial implications,” Bifolchi told council.
Bifolchi presented a motion to defer the appointment until the town’s clerk, Twyla Nicholson, presented a revised code of conduct for councillors.
Nicholson has previously indicated the role of integrity commissioner is included as part of the new code. That’s expected to be presented to the June 9 committee of the whole meeting.
Council defeated Bifolchi’s motion in a recorded vote; the lone supporter was Councillor Sylvia Bray.
Nicholson will now be preparing a report to council on the services provided by an integrity commissioner, approximate costs, and the method to appoint an individual.
Wasaga mayor wants municipal integrity commissioner
Wasaga Beach’s mayor wants to appoint an integrity commissioner.
At Wednesday’s general governance committee, Brian Smith put forward a surprise recommendation to make the appointment, during a discussion on provincial legislation that will give the Ontario’s ombudsman more powers over municipal decision-making.
Bill 8 received royal assent in December, but has not yet been officially proclaimed by the Liberal government.
An integrity commissioner would be responsible for investigating public complaints against councillors who are alleged to have violated a municipality’s code of conduct.
Bill 8 would give the provincial ombud the ability to investigate a public complaint should a municipality not have an integrity commissioner in place.
“Whether Bill 8 is coming or not, an integrity commissioner is something every council should have,” Smith said.
Smith’s recommendation passed 3-2. It will come to the council table on Tuesday for a final decision.
Wasaga Beach clerk Twyla Nicholson is in the process of updating the code of conduct for councillors, and expects to bring a report back to a committee of the whole meeting in the near future.
As part of a revised code, Nicholson is also recommending the appointment of an integrity commissioner, though during the discussion Wednesday acknowledged she was still researching the position.
“I don’t know exactly how Bill 8 will affect us, just that it will affect us – just to what extent I don’t know,” Nicholson told the committee.
Deputy Mayor Nina Bifolchi voiced a note of caution to Smith’s motion, noting she – and the committee – did not come to the table on Wednesday expecting that kind of proposal to come to the table.
“I feel we’re jumping the gun,” said Bifolchi, who opposed Smith’s motion, along with Councillor Sylvia Bray. “I’m not opposed to it, but I just feel coming here today, we did not come ready [for this recommendation].”
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