Two Guelph city councillors say they are selling their stake in a downtown business because it causes a conflict of interest when dealing with downtown issues in council chambers.
Guelph city councillors Mark MacKinnon and Rodrigo Goller are among four part-owners in The Boardroom: Guelph’s Game Cafe, which is located on Wyndham Street in the city’s downtown.
MacKinnon had already been a city councillor for about two years when the business opened in 2016. Last year, Goller became the second member of the ownership group to earn a seat on city council.
“Unfortunately, both Rodrigo and I have a ‘pecuniary interest’ or ‘conflict of interest’ regarding our city councillor roles when policies and developments are discussed that touch upon our part of the downtown,” said MacKinnon in a press release about the councillors’ effort to sell their shares in the business.
City councillors must recuse themselves from making decisions on matters that could be considered a conflict of interest.
“With council’s plan to activate and open upper Wyndham and Baker Street for redevelopment in the coming years, we can no longer continue as owners of The Boardroom while performing our full councillor duties due to that pecuniary interest,” said MacKinnon.
The councillors are seeking to sell their shares in the business to new owners, “to continue what we have started or perhaps move the business into an exciting refreshed direction,” said McKinnon in the release.
In summer of 2016, the Boardroom opened as a community space for individuals, groups and families to play one of over 650 titles in its board game library.
“We are proud of the space and culture we have created with our downtown gaming cafe,” said MacKinnon. “Everyone has a wonderful time when they visit and many new friendships have developed since we opened.”
