Chatham-Kent Council has hired SC Consulting as the new municipal Integrity Commissioner and Closed Meeting Investigator.
The vote was 17-1.
Mary Ellen Bench is the current Integrity Commissioner, but her term ends at the end of this month.
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Previous story below from November 6, 2023:
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will be getting a new Integrity Commissioner.
On Monday night at their Council meeting, Councillors will vote on hiring SC Consulting as the new Integrity Commissioner and Closed Meeting Investigator for a two-year period, plus two one-year extensions, if both parties wish.
Mary Ellen Bench was appointed as Chatham-Kent's Integrity Commissioner in 2019 and her term is complete at the end of this month.
A report by Director of Municipal Governance and Clerk Judy Smith going before Council said SC Consulting is a professional consultant that has served as the Integrity Commissioner, Closed Meeting Investigator, Lobbyist Registrar, and provided general ethics, governance, and human rights training to over 30 municipal organizations since 2008.
Municipalities can establish a Code of Conduct for Councillors, Committees and Local Boards, and can appoint an Integrity Commissioner who reports to Council.
The Integrity Commissioner is responsible for performing functions assigned by the municipality independently and investigating complaints made by the public about whether the municipality followed the rules for closed-door meetings.
The municipality said it interviewed eight candidates for the job and SC Consulting received the highest points.