Belleville City Clerk Matt MacDonald at city council, September 10, 2018 (Photo Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
The issue of members of council under investigation in connection with breakfast meetings, following a citizen’s complaint, was raised again at city council Monday night.
A closed-meeting investigator, Amberley Gravel Ltd., through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, is looking into meetings that occurred at Eggsquis restaurant at the Bell Front Street Mall at Bell Boulevard.
They involved Mayor Taso Christopher and Councillors Egerton Boyce, Mike Graham and Garnet Thompson.
Councillors have said no city business was discussed.
City Clerk Matt MacDonald told council, “If it was up to me it would have been completed significantly earlier.”
He will “press the investigators to wrap up the investigation soon and report on the findings.”
Macdonald said he is continuing to work with the investigators and said “all parties involved want a speedier completion. It is in the best interest of the parties and the community”
Councillor Kelly McCaw raised the issue, indicating she had heard “the parties were not cooperating.” She said she received an email implying a lack of cooperation from some witnesses.
She questioned MacDonald. “These are pretty serious allegations one way or another. Either they are not true, or they are true and I would just like to know what’s the next step. Clearly you’re indicating to me that maybe there is some miscommunication or maybe the investigator is not able to move this investigation forward.”
Mayor Taso Christopher asked whether or not during an election campaign investigations were stopped. MacDonald said, “There are certain investigations that are in effect quashed during the nomination period and the election period, but not these types of investigations.”
Following the meeting, McCaw told Quinte News “They are certainly serious allegations and I think they need to be cleared up.”
Earlier this year, a citizen had complained the breakfast meetings were regular throughout 2016 and 2017.
