Brighton councillor accuses mayor of acting like a one-man show

By Tyler Renaud

BELLEVILLE – The conduct of Brighton’s mayor was called into question by some councillors at Monday’s council meeting.

Councillor Steve Baker charged during the meeting that Mayor Mark Walas was being “a one-man show.”

In an interview with QNet News, Baker said his accusation was motivated by the mayor directing municipal staff during staff meetings without the consent of the council. Baker said he believes this interaction is in contradiction of the Ontario Municipal Act.

“I believe based on my observations, based on conversations, based on email content and the wording of those emails, I have concerns that the mayor is intimately involved in the day-to-day operations” of the municipal staff,” said Baker.

Walas says that Baker’s attacks are unjustified.

“They are completely unfounded,” he told QNet. “Councillor Baker needs to educate himself a little before he makes his comments. Making the comment and suggesting that I am directing staff within the staff meeting not only is insulting to myself, but without him realizing he sat there in an open public council meeting and insulted every member of our senior management team that attends those meetings,” said Walas.  The mayor said that if the staff have any problem with the interaction they have a responsibility to come before council and report that he is contravening the Municipal Act.

Both Walas and Baker said that according to the legislation, it’s the chief administrative officer who directs staff and acts as a liaison between them and council. But Brighton’s CAO, Gayle Frost, has been on a leave of absence since March.

Walas said his interaction with staff was innocent and necessary because of the lack of senior staff members.

“I think what’s important to understand here is that the municipality of Brighton  is missing about 20 per cent of its senior management team, including our CAO. So there is really no liaison between council and staff. That being said, I do understand and respect the fact that under the Municipal Act that council is not supposed to cross the line and direct staff in any capacity. But given that we are without a CAO and have been for seven months now, it’s important that some lines of communication were established.”

However, Baker is not buying that the interaction was out of necessity.

“There should always be open lines of communication between the municipality and its council, but again we must be aware of the rules that govern our behaviour. The situation that we are in with respect to a lack of senior management does negate the fact that you have to follow the rules. I just think that’s an excuse,” he said.

Baker admitted that the council had previously voted to allow the mayor and deputy mayor into municipal staff meetings, but said it was purely in an observational capacity. The council held another vote Monday night to bar the mayor and deputy mayor from staff meetings. The motion was defeated 5-2.

“I think the vote itself is very indicative that there are two people with personal agendas, those being Councillors Baker and (John) Martinello,” said Walas. “The five remaining members supported the fact that it is important at this point in the operations without a CAO and a couple other members of senior staff. So there is a need for the head of council and deputy mayor to continue to meet every Wednesday to identify any issues coming forward.”

But Baker suggested the vote doesn’t accurately reflect the feelings in the room on Monday.

“Although myself and Coun. Martinello voted in favour of the motion, if you listen to the audio recordings you will hear Coun. (Brian) Ostrander voice his concerns as well. Although he didn’t support the motion as written, he did voice that he has concerns as well. When you have three members of council voice their concerns that this is happening, then we need to take a look at it,” he said.

Baker says he will not file any formal complaint or action with Ontario’s ombudsman.