A Belleville city councillor, Ryan Williams, has been cleared of trying to have family members influence other members of council on a vote to institute a Municipal Accommodations Tax in the City. Williams is a shareholder in Williams Hotels which owns a handful of local hotels.
On Monday night, Council saw a report from a lawyer, who serves as the city’s Integrity Commissioner, referencing complaints made against councillor Ryan Williams.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk, along with the rest of council, voted to accept the Integrity Commissioner’s report but stated again last night he believed Williams was in conflict when he voted on a $15,000 fireworks display to be paid for by money taken from the accommodations tax.
Councillor Williams had previously received advice from the Integrity Commissioner’s law firm that he would not be in a conflict by voting on that issue.
The councillor did declare a conflict when council dealt with the implementation of the accommodations tax.
Meanwhile, Williams expects more complaints against him to be made public as soon as the next meeting of council.
Meanwhile many on council disputed the Integrity Commissioner’s position that they shouldn’t debate his findings, but council did vote to accept his report as is.
The discussion about whether or not council had a right to debate and dispute an Integrity Commissioner’s report was spurred by a legal opinion sought by the mayor from the city’s law firm which stated that council did have that right under certain conditions.
Mayor Panciuk says he’s hoping a process can be arrived at so council can make amendments to Integrity Commissioners’ reports.
The entire Integrity Commissioner’s report will be posted on the city’s website in the near future.
