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Erin Lamb, whose name was disclosed without authorization after anonymously filing complaints against the Three Rivers mayor and a councillor, said she was expecting an apology from the town which she never received.
“I filed a complaint with the ombudsperson very shortly after all this happened. I just got a response from them saying that (CAO John Jamieson) was in the wrong,” Lamb said.
She said before the report came out on April 9, Jamieson reaffirmed to her that his decision was correct.
“Despite the fact that they attempted to discredit me in the media, my complaints were valid and I was right and they owe me an apology, “ she said.
Lamb, who recently moved out of Three Rivers said she does not feel like the council has the town’s best interest and she has lost faith in it.
In response Jamieson said, “Once Ms Lamb made her complaint to the Ombudsman’s office; the town’s duty is to satisfy that office only. If Ms Lamb is upset, she needs to discuss it with that office.”
At the April 13 council meeting, Jamieson acknowledged disclosing the name of one of the people who filed complaint anonymously does not fall within the permitted circumstances outlined in section 17 of the town’s access to information and protection of personal information bylaw, after Municipal Affairs contacted the town.
“Going forward, the town will not release the names of complainants under any circumstances unless such disclosure is clearly authorized,” he added.
Three Rivers released its review of the independent investigator’s report regarding breaches of the code of conduct that was launched in September.
The investigation was looking into complaints made by Frank Dourte, a resident and business owner, during the September 8 council meeting directed at councillor Martina MacDonald based on an interaction he had with the councillor on August 18, and Mayor Debbie Johnston. Two additional complaints were made by Lamb, directed at council based on an exchange with one of the presenters at the August 11 interaction.
The investigation found one of the complaints made against the mayor by Dourte was dismissed since it did not breach the town’s code of conduct bylaw. Dourte’s complaint against Coun MacDonald regarding the August 18 incident was found to be a breach of the code of conduct.
The second independent investigator report based on Lamb’s complaints found the mayor had breached the code of conduct by failing to intervene and de-escalate the interaction between Coun MacDonald and a resident. The investigator also found Coun MacDonald to have breached the code of conduct during the same interaction for a direct and lengthy response which created disorder.
The auditor recommended governance training, regular public communication by the CAO, use of procedural tools to manage quorum and conduct, mandatory participation by Coun MacDonald and the mayor in de-escalation training, respectful public engagement training, and meeting chairing sessions scheduled by the CAO.
Deputy Mayor Cody Jenkins made a motion stating council should adopt the recommendations of the investigator. The motion was passed unanimously.
Jamieson, in a statement to the Graphic, said the investigator did not recommend any specific sanction towards Coun MacDonald and the mayor as the breach of August 18 was a single incident of brief duration, not intentional, no finding of harassment or intimidation and an acknowledgment by MacDonald that it was a “poor choice.”
For the August 11 meeting incident, there was no sanction because the investigator concluded there was no abusive or derogatory language, no unethical conduct and no intentional intimidation. It was a single incident and there was clear reflection by both respondents afterwords, the investigator found.
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