In a May report to council, town manager Lisa Hass reported a code of conduct document is still under review.
She had been in contact with Norm Gamble, who acts as the town’s meeting investigator, and asked if he would be interested in acting as the town’s integrity commissioner as well.
“He’s not really interested. He’d do one or the other,” Hass said.
She added Gamble has worked with large municipalities, which often have their own integrity commissioner.
“We’re still wrestling with what type of committee we could come up with to handle this,” she said.
Clerk Kathryn Ironmonger noted that as of that night’s meeting, there has yet to be a staff meeting on the town’s procedural bylaw amendment and so she recommended the item be deferred to the next working meeting of council.
She presented council with an update on the town’s proposed draft multi-year accessibility plan.
“Basically there are certain requirements we are supposed to meet [in provincial legislation].”
Part of that, Ironmonger said, is developing a plan on how the municipality plans to address accessibility issues.
She said the idea was at council to give it an idea of what is being suggested on how the municipality proceeds in the next few years.
Councillor John Brennan asked about the portion that referred to staff training and accommodation. “Haven’t we already gone through this?”
Ironmonger said it refers to people applying for positions or those employed by the municipality and what special steps the town is prepared to take to accommodate them.
“So this portion refers to employees rather than serving the general public?” Brennan asked.
She said that type of document can change as time goes on. “It’s a work in progress.”
Councillor Barb Tocher asked what the provincial government’s involvement is – since the legislation affects government and private business.
Ironmonger is unaware if inspections are being done.
Brennan believes that in itself would be worthy of getting more information.
Other aspects of provincial legislation deal with how municipalities accommodate serving members of the public with special needs.
