Belleville council has a new rule book, a code of conduct, but not before a lengthy debate on the document.
The 23-page document had been before council before, a couple of times, but at Monday night’s meeting, it came under scrutiny for more than an hour and a half before final approval.
Councillor Bill Sandison called for it to be sent back to staff, pointing out Kingston and London codes were half as long.
His motion called for staff to review those two Codes of Conduct and prepare amendments for city council to consider.
That went down on a recorded vote of five to four with only councillors Pat Culhane, Kelly McCaw, Sandison and Mayor Mitch Panciuk supporting it.
In the end, there were two amendments and the new code passed on a recorded vote of six to two with Councillors Pat Culhane and Kelly McCaw voting against.
One amendment made it clear committee chairs did have a need and the right to communicate with city staff.
Another amendment involved getting advice from the Integrity Commissioner or independent legal counsel.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk tells Quinte News the new code will bring clarity to the issue of conduct.
He notes it applies to volunteer members of boards, agencies and committees.
He said it was important to have the issue of dealing with staff included in the code.
Belleville Councillor Chris Malette, January 27, 2020 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Some councillors complained about the Integrity Commissioner being included in the document.
Sandison said the Commissioner shouldn’t be embedded in the report to the extent he is.
He continued, “I have gone through the report and it is very cumbersome seeing where the IC has inserted himself.”
Councillor Chris Malette said, “What some people want out is to neuter the role of the Integrity Commissioner…they just don’t like what was handed down in recent findings (by the Commissioner).”
