Integrity commissioner report shows Wilmot councillors displayed ‘absence of goodwill’

Wilmot council received a report back from its integrity commissioner this week that found two councillors did not breach the Code of Conduct but did display an “absence of goodwill” towards their fellow councillors.

It was back in January when several councillors filed complaints after a public input session was allegedly derailed by other councillors.

Ward 4 Councillor Lilianne Dunstall hosted the session, alongside Councillor Steven Martin to discuss a proposed 51 per cent property tax hike. That tax increase was finally settled at 18.22 per cent.

Dunstall and Martin filed complaints, arguing with the integrity commissioner that Ward 3 Councillor Harvir Sidhu and Ward 2 Councillor Kris Wilkinson were disruptive and took time away from constituents.

“A lot of my constituents were so angry (…) and their words are they believe their meeting was hijacked by councillors from different wards,” said Dunstall.

If too many councillors are present, it constitutes a quorum which turns it into an official township meeting where certain rules have to be followed.

“The township can be fined and so can the councillor,” said Dunstall. “I was at the front of the room, so I didn’t hear how it transpired however, it did get loud.”

Dunstall said that the other councillors refused to leave after being asked by Councillor Martin to avoid quorum. Dunstall mentioned it appeared that Councillor Wilkinson was trying to egg his supporters on.

“The integrity commissioner does not file a report if there is no infraction: they just close the file, they contact the complainant and say there is nothing here and it doesn’t become public.”

The 34-page report highlighted an “absence of goodwill” towards other councillors.

“Even if the code of conduct wasn’t breached, there still remains a much simpler issue of good governance,” wrote Benjamin M. Drory, integrity commissioner.

Dunstall said over 200 people came out into the cold to hear their ward councillors speak about the budget at the New Hamburg arena.

“Our council is split, it’s very evident you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that,” said Dunstall. “We need to get to a place where we can actually start working together. Dysfunction is not serving our constituents well at all. They elected us to move business forward and I’m not sure we are doing that as effectively as we could be.”

Since that meeting, Dunstall has spoken with one of the councillors mentioned in her complaints. She said she understands better what happened that day now, anger played a key part.

However, Dunstall is hopeful the report will help Wilmot councillors mend some broken bridges so their constituents can get what they voted for.