Renfrew Council was not receptive to a motion to strip power from one of their own on Tuesday night.
Town Reeve Peter Emon put what he considers a test of the council’s accountability into action at their latest council meeting, bringing forward a motion of notice to strip sitting Councilor John McDonald of his committee, group, and board duties following what Emon felt were inaccurate and misleading statements made about his tenure and effectiveness as the head of the town’s Human Resources department before and during the Ma-te-Way Expansion project.
According to Emon, the comments were made last month during a prepared six-minute speech from McDonald, while the council considered similar punishments for both Emon and Mayor Tom Sidney in the wake of the third-party review done on the project, where McDonald claimed Emon had put the town in a situation where former Fire Chief Guy Longtin was wrongfully terminated in 2018, leading to a lawsuit. Emon would note that the matter was resolved to both parties satisfaction.
Emon would go on to note that McDonald claimed he had a “hands-off” approach to the former Director of Parks and Recreation during the Ma-te-Way Expansion, allowing him to “leave, retire, access, and enjoy his two-year payout,” to which Emon noted that there were no instances offered suggesting as such.
He pointed to other statements, including Emon’s involvement regarding the former director and claims of a lack of action following the discovery of the then $8 million dollar overrun at Ma-te-Way following the swearing in of the current council in 2022, as moments where McDonald either forgot information provided to him previously or failed to back up claims with evidence.
The motion would ultimately fail with a recorded 4-2 vote. Mayor Tom Sidney would join Emon in voting in favour, stating a need for consistency in how the council handles problems within itself.
Speaking in opposition, Councilor Jason Legris explained that their decision to remove the Mayor and Reeve from their duties was made with the information provided by the Ma-te-Way Expansion third-party review and that he hoped that the group as a whole could “get down to work and move on.”
Fellow Councilor Kyle Cybulski would join him in that sentiment, expressing his frustration with the currently incomplete state of the arena’s expansion and the negative impact it has had on everyone.
Despite the failed attempt, Emon would declare another notice of motion to consider sanctions regarding the conduct of a sitting council member at their next meeting in two weeks.
(Written by Kasey Egan)
