Timmins Mayor Steve Black says he’s fully willing to cooperate with the Ontario Ombudsman’s office and local lawyers investigating conduct in the city council chambers.

However, much of the actions that would need to be taken don’t pass through his office at all.

He says local lawyers Peter Doucet and Stuart Weir can seek documents from city hall, but that is done through the clerk’s office and he has no control over such a thing.

Much of this goes back to the beginning of August, when an in-camera vote was held to decide who would be part of the CAO hiring committee to replace soon-to-be-retired Joe Torlone.

Black finds it challenging that Ward 5 city councillor Rick Dubeau actively participated and supported the process, but after being kicked off all boards and committees in September, is taking issue with that original process.

He says it’s normal for the Ombudsman to come back with some findings, as it happens in many municipalities.

Black adds the report may suggest that some parts of the in-camera meeting should be done in public, and awaits what will happen next.

Filed under: Local News