Kearney needs an Intergity Commissioner

In 2006, the Municipal Act was amended to add a new part, entitled "Accountability and Transparency". This authorized municipal councils to establish a code of conduct for members of Council and town committees. Municipal councils also have the power to pass by-laws respecting accountability and transparency of the municipality and its operations that would make clear the ethical behaviour expected of members.

Each municipal council is also empowered to appoint an Integrity Commissioner who reports to Council and is responsible for independent oversight of Council and committees with respect to the code of conduct, rules and policies governing their ethical behaviour.

The municipality and its local committees are required to give the Integrity Commissioner any information necessary for an inquiry. The Integrity Commissioner also has free access to all books, accounts, financial records, electronic data processing records, reports, files, and all other papers, things or property belonging to or used by the municipality for an inquiry. The Integrity Commissioner must preserve secrecy, but at the same time, the municipality is required to ensure that reports received from the Integrity Commissioner are made available to the public.

The most important function of the Integrity Commissioner is to educate members of Council with respect to ethical conduct.

We've reported time and time again on the blatantly unethical behaviour of Kearney's current council. Everything from waiving fees and environmental impact studies for campaign contributors, to violating rules of conduct, failing to declare conflicts of interest, (or declaring a conflict, then acting in conflict anyway), and on and on.

The Town of Kearney desperately needs is an Integrity Commissioner. If Council can afford to hire their own "Ombudsman" so they'll not longer be answerable to the Provincial Ombudsman (a free service), then lets also see an Integrity Commissioner. It's a part-time position for cities like Toronto, so Kearney's "as needed" costs would be minimal.

But sadly, all our tax dollars are going to a full-time CBO (who, according to several witnesses, spends his shifts shopping in Huntsville or napping in his truck) and a private "Ombudsman" who will sue you for costs if you file a complaint against Mayor Tomlinson and his chums. Meanwhile, Council (aka The Proudfoot Four) has cut the rink attendantjob, a Fire Service job, and is planning to eliminate the Operations Managerjob, because, according to Mayor Tomlinson, "the time has come where we can’t do the services we used to do."

No surprise there.