County News
Conduct
Motion seeks a review regarding conduct towards councillors and their families
Prince Edward County staff have been asked to prepare a report that would recommend guidelines to ensure the safety of councillors and their families. The action comes following a resolution at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole made by Councillor Stewart Bailey who recently had an incident with a County resident at his home.
Two weekends ago, an elderly County resident approached Bailey’s residence with his two grandsons. Together, they pulled a No Parking sign from Lake on the Mountain out of the truck, and ultimately left it on the lawn. “As this council is aware, there was an incident at my home two weekends ago, during which my wife was confronted by a constituent who wanted to show displeasure at one of council’s decisions. This event left my wife feeling harassed, intimidated, potentially threatened and definitely angry. I know from my previous training in my previous occupation, no one can accurately predict how an incident like this might have escalated. Frankly, this one went too far. Home and family must be off limits,” said Bailey, who wanted staff to look into examining potential guidelines and criteria to ensure the safety of members of council and their families. Bailey also worried that the intimidation might be perceived as affecting decisions. “We as council can not be allowed to be perceived as making judgements and decisions based on this sort of activity.”
Councillor Bill McMahon seconded the motion, as he too had a resident show up at his doorstep last year on Father’s Day. “I had a situation last year on Father’s Day, which certainly wasn’t anything like Councillor Bailey’s situation, but a so-called family friend that lives on Lakeside Drive, banged on the door, and my wife answered, and he started complaining about dust on his car from the construction on his road. People know where we live, but we don’t want them pulling in the driveway and banging on the door,” added McMahon.
Other councillors thought that they should be able to carry out their job and be given the same considerations as other employees regarding safety in the workplace. Janice Maynard wondered if councillors should be covered like any other County employee. “I think as councillors we should be afforded the same considerations so that we can be safe in our workplace. We certainly are open to criticism, but there is a point where if we don’t feel safe, I think we should be covered under the workplace safety act as any other employee of the County,” she said. Councillor Bill Roberts agreed, saying he had been subjected to online criticism. “I would just like to put out there the consideration that our lives are dominated by social media and what is out there in the Internet. If this motion is passed, I think something we need to give serious consideration to is the abuse, hatred, vitriol and lies that are directed at councillors on social media,” said Roberts.
Councillor Andreas Bolik cautioned council to not be under the illusion anything can really be done. “Certainly we have a code of conduct. Our employees have a code of conduct that has consequences if it’s not followed. We can’t enforce that on members of the general public,” he said.
Mayor Steve Ferguson noted family members should not be subjected to this sort of behaviour, but did remind council that they had put their hands up for the job. “I fully agree that any intrusion on family members by members of the public is inappropriate. I also want to say that we put our hands up. I have been subjected to certainly social media commentary that I don’t think is appropriate. Other occasions where members of the public have approached me inappropriately. Nothing that I would categorize as violent, and not so numerous that I have concerns about my safety. But when it comes to dealing with members of your family, that is inappropriate. I think the public needs to be aware of that,” said Ferguson.
Staff will prepare a report looking into the matter.
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