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'Absolutely nothing was done wrong' says mayor and report of Clair/Maltby working groups

Investigation backs up council, but some still insist working groups were not transparent
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Mayor Cam Guthrie. Tony Saxon/GuelphToday file photo

Members of city council expressed some frustration Monday night about continued accusations that part of the Clair/Maltby Secondary Plan was “secretive.”

A recent report by the city’s private meeting investigator showed that the city did not violate any of its procedural bylaws in the workings of two arms-length advisory groups, the technical advisory group and the community working group.

The city has always maintained that the process was transparent and the investigation backed them up.

The person that filed the complaint, longtime council watcher Susan Watson, felt that minutes of the meetings and the members of the group were not disclosed as she felt they should be.

There were also concerns expressed about the public not being able to address those groups, which provide advice to city staff.

At Monday’s night’s council meeting there were two delegates who made “secrecy” and “transparency” comments that the investigation and members of council agreed didn’t exist.

“The minutes of the meetings have been on the city’s web site since last spring,” said coun. Cathy Downer to delegate Matt Saunders. “You can see how not secret they are.”

The person that filed the complaint was not at Monday’s meeting.

“Can you explain to me about this ‘secrecy’?,” asked Mayor Cam Guthrie of one of the delegates, Zach Glavine.

“I do not see how open minutes, for anybody to read, is secrecy,” Guthrie added.

Council did agree to hear back from staff about potential improvements when it comes to procedural matters surrounding working groups that do not include members of council, including any changes that might be recommended.

Staff will bring that back to council in January.

City CAO Derek Thompson said staff is quite willing to look at how to do things better, but pointed out that it was proven nothing was done incorrectly.

“What are we trying to achieve?” asked Thompson of council.

Guthrie expressed disappointment about the fact a complaint was filed in the first place.

“I feel that there are some who are choosing not to come and approach us collectively and engage with us in regards to having those discussions about ideas and are choosing other methods and other pathways to get the conversation in front of us,” Guthrie said.

“All of us are 100 per cent open to having those conversations with anyone,” he said.

“It’s very nice to have the fourth closed meeting investigation report in this term of council show that absolutely nothing was done wrong.”


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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