On Nov. 27, integrity commissioner John Craig issued a scathing 24-page report about Erin Mayor Lou Maieron following complaints lodged by a fellow councillor in July.
The complaint alleged the mayor violated several sections of the Town of Erin Code of Ethics:
– revealing confidential information to the public;
– accepting an improper payment as a gift relating to the costs of a trip to China;
– leaving a council meeting while it was in progress;
– knowingly providing false information to the public on the process to recruit a new CAO; and
– making verbal and emailed comments that were "disrespectful, intimidating, demeaning and/or impugned upon the professional or ethical reputation of staff and others."
In his findings, Craig said Maieron did not breach the code in regards to accepting gifts during the China trip and did not provide false information about the CAO recruitment process (although Craig said Maieron came close to a breach on the latter complaint).
However, Craig stated Maieron was in violation of the remaining three complaints, the most serious of which were repeated breaches relating to the treatment of staff.
"Although taken separately the offensives may be considered somewhat low on the range of misconduct, the mayor's behaviour repeatedly crossed the line into forbidden territory," Craig concluded of the mayor's violations relating to staff.
"Considered together I judge the pattern of his transgressions to be harmful on a personal, corporate and community level demanding immediate corrective action."
Craig recommended that as a sanction for the various breaches of the Erin Code of Ethics, council suspend the mayor's remuneration for one month and that the mayor complete a training course on leadership in the public sector (funded by the town).
In addition to bringing in a facilitator to help council and staff with a more cooperative working relationship and clarifying the town's definition of "conference", Craig recommended the permanent appointment of an integrity commissioner.
A copy of the commissioner's report is currently online as part of the Dec. 3 Erin council agenda package (starting on page 25) at
http://www.erin.ca/File.aspx?id=21e36892-93c9-4faf-861e-1e60405ddfe9.
Maieron has attached a five-page response to the agenda that disputes the report's findings and alleges Craig may have "exceeded [his] authority" in suggesting contraventions of the Code of Ethics.
