A 60-day pay suspension.
That’s the penalty council eventually agreed on for Mayor Peter Chirico, after the Integrity Commissioner found code of conduct breaches with $5,500 worth of credit card expenses.
They included hockey tickets, golf expenses, and three meals with family members.
After votes on 90 and 80-day pay suspensions were defeated on 5-5 tie votes, a motion for a reprimand did not receive a seconder.
Councillor Tanya Vrebosch tabled the 60-day motion, which passed by a 6-4 vote.
Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield cast the deciding vote.
“There was a cost to the impact that this has had on the taxpayers and the residents of North Bay,” says Horsfield. “The report found that he did contravene the code of conduct and ultimately council decided to implement a penalty for it.”
She says the entire situation has been challenging and has taken a toll on council.
“Folks have taken this as an opportunity to really come to other conclusions outside of what was presented to us today, which unfortunately puts us back with all the great work we are trying to accomplish,” Horsfield says.
Councillor Gary Gardiner initially put forward the motion for a reprimand, but later said he would’ve supported a 30-day pay suspension.
He says the mayor has suffered enough, with an undue amount of stress levied on him, partly because of social media and the media itself, but that’s not all.
“Some council members continued to make sure the story stayed in the press on almost a daily basis when it first broke,” he says. “To me, it was extreme bullying. You know we talk about social media and the bullying that the kids take. This was unprecedented in my mind.”
Gardiner also believes this leaves no chance for the mayor to seek re-election.
Integrity Commissioner Guy Giorno deemed over $11,000 in Chirico’s expenses did not breach the code of conduct.
All of the money has been reimbursed.
At the start of the penalty phase of the council meeting, Chirico read the statement he issued on Tuesday.
