Quinte West Councillor Duncan Armstrong was not required to apologize, despite an Integrity Commissioner’s report recommending such.
At council on Wednesday evening, Tony Fleming’s report was before council recommending an apology by the Trenton ward councillor, related to a gesture he made to a member of the public at a November 6, 2024 meeting.
Fleming’s report indicated that Armstrong pointed his finger at Ed Santos in council chambers. The gesture appeared as if he was firing a gun.
Fleming said this gesture violated the Code of Conduct.
Quinte News had previously reported that Santos had been urging council to change strategy in regards to maintenance upgrades at the Trent Port Marina.
In regards to the gesture, Armstrong told the commissioner he meant no ill will toward Santos.
On Wednesday evening, Councillor Michael Kotsovos asked Fleming what recourse council has if a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner is unsubstantiated?
Fleming – “Any member of the public, any member of staff, member of council can make a complaint to me about a member of council. We look at the complaint and we consider whether or not it’s a complaint that falls underneath the Code of Conduct. A number of municipalities that I am Integrity Commissioner for, I receive complaints that do not fall underneath the Code of Conduct. I dismiss those complaints without an investigation. If the facts as alleged in the complaint were true, then there would be a breach of the Code of Conduct. “
Kotsovos replied that it is unfair for the remaining residents of Quinte West to be paying out of their taxes for complaints that may be unsubstantiated, just because someone has a disagreement with someone else.
Councillor Dave O’Neil proposed a fee system for complaints. His suggestion was that if the complaint was deemed viable, then a portion/all of the fee would be reimbursed.
O’Neil says this would “get rid of some of these frivolous claims that go to you (Tony Fleming).”
The following was the recommendation of Tony Fleming.
We recommend that Council order a public apology from the Member. We further recommend that Council issue a reprimand to the Member to demonstrate that Council does not condone this type of behaviour.
Council voted to receive the report from the Integrity Commissioner, but did not order a public apology or reprimand.
Santos told Quinte News he has submitted a second complaint to Tony Fleming, however, the specifics are not known.
