A Chatham-Kent (CK) councillor has escaped a pay suspension for breaching the council code of conduct.
CK Councillor Alysson Storey won't have her pay suspended for 10 days for breaching the council code of conduct after a recommendation by CK's Integrity Commissioner to sanction her failed by a 7-7 vote at the council meeting on Monday night.
However, a formal reprimand was approved by a vote of 10-4, and all councillors will undergo code of conduct training at a future date after Councillor Lauren Anderson suggested it.
Councillor Storey was accused of making disparaging comments at a Town Hall meeting in Dresden on October 20, 2024, and a subsequent council meeting, undermining administration and the community hub process.
The commissioner's report showed that Storey falsely claimed that libraries in rural areas would close, taxes would increase, and there were accessibility issues with the CK Hub.
Anderson felt a pay suspension was not appropriate and that council shouldn't be the disciplinarian in these cases.
Councillor Michael Bondy told his council colleagues that the code of conduct system is flawed because accusers and complainants are not identified, and should be.
Storey apologized to anyone she may have offended because it was not her intention to undermine anyone, but said she didn't agree with the commissioner's findings, adding that her investigation was unfair and not balanced.
She also noted that she would not be challenging the findings of the investigation.
"I would like to apologize to anyone I may have offended or hurt by the questions that I have been asking about the old Sears building proposal. I have some concern that the Integrity Commissioner assumed that I would not be open to apologizing," said Storey. "I worry that this is an attempt to silence those who are asking legitimate questions about a proposal. Therefore, I disagree with these findings, but I will not be challenging them."
She noted she would welcome more training around the code of conduct, but is concerned about assumptions and the lack of options presented by the commissioner.
CK's Integrity Commissioner told council that she didn't recommend a public apology from Storey because she didn't believe one would be forthcoming.
Storey also fears that the current code of conduct system will silence elected officials moving forward, adding that the anonymous approach of the probe makes it tricky for councillors to defend themselves.
"With this anonymous approach, it's really tricky to defend yourself when there appears to be a deliberate attempt by certain individuals who have a key interest in seeing this proposal move forward and that this process has been abused by that person or persons in a deliberate attempt to silence me," Storey said.
Councillor Rhonda Jubenville told the council that she fears the office of the Integrity Commissioner is becoming weaponized.