Mayor Says He Will Not Appeal Council Sanction

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley says he's not entertaining any court appeal of city council's decision to suspend his pay for 90 days. Councillors voted 6-2 Tuesday in favour of Integrity Commissioner Robert Swayze's recommended sanction after he found the mayor contravened the rules of conduct in his dealings with staff at city hall. "Other people have spoke to me about that, people spoke to me about a GoFundMe site to cover my salary, I'm not in control of that but I have no plans myself, I don't have the money," said Bradley about the prospect of an appeal. "But there are some real flaws in this process, I will say that the ombudsman's office has jurisdiction and they have told me that if I wish to file a complaint on the handling of the process I can do so. I will think about that but I would really like us to move on." Bradley says he is disappointed by council's decision but is pleased with the overwhelming support from the public over the last number of days. He says the penalty will cost him $12,000 to $15,000 that will be transferred to general city funds. "I will move on and I encourage everyone on council, the top staff, to work with me to move the city forward. All of us are responsible for what occurs at city hall and at council and I hope that people can put this past them. Even if I'm not paid for the next three months I will be there doing my job every day as I have for 28 years." The mayor says he certainly will reflect on his management style and if, in the past, he has caused concern to anyone he apologizes for that. Bradley maintains the integrity commissioner's report is flawed. "This report really says that mayors and councillors should not be questioning staff and should not be holding them accountable," says Bradley. "And the interesting thing in this report is the very thing I was accused of, in being too involved in day to day affairs, if you look at the recommendations for an executive committee and deputy mayor, it's going to be exactly worse in that direction in the day to day activities of the political people engaged with the city staff."