A Barrie Metropolis Councillor will face repercussions for code of conduct violations.
Ward 1 Councillor Clare Riepma can be docked 15 days’ pay and was sternly reprimanded for violating the Metropolis of Barrie’s code of conduct on two separate events.
Barrie integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig’s two studies have been delivered to council Wednesday night time, itemizing the findings in her investigations into Riepma.
Within the first grievance, it was alleged that the councillor used his affect as a licensed planner in an try and coerce workers to vary coverage parameters as a way to generate information that was beneficial to him on a growth challenge.
Craig’s second report said that Riepma used constituents’ electronic mail addresses, which he obtained whereas in workplace, to hunt re-election.
Barrie’s code of conduct states that “no member shall disclose or launch by any means to any member of the general public, or in any means expose any confidential info, together with private info or any facet of deliberations acquired by advantage of their workplace, in both oral or written type, besides when required by legislation or approved by Council decision to take action.”
Additional, it states, “nor shall members use confidential info, together with info that they’ve information of by advantage of their place that’s not within the public area, together with emails and correspondence from different members, or third events, for private or non-public acquire.”
In an interview with Ontario Chronicle after Wednesday’s council assembly, Riepma admitted to creating a “mistake.”
“I personal that,” Riepma mentioned. “The integrity commissioner has given her report, council has accepted that report and now it is time to transfer on.”
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall advised Ontario Chronicle that he would comply with the integrity commissioner’s suggestions for Riepma earlier than Wednesday’s council assembly.
“This stuff aren’t straightforward,” he added. They are not, oftentimes should not carried out on function, and so, you understand, I simply need to supply that, that ahead, as you understand, let’s, let’s, let’s put this behind us and let’s proceed to work as a workforce.”
