P.A. councillor conflict issue to go to court

If the judge does determine that either or both Lennox-Zepp and Head were in a conflict of interest, the result could be removal from council.

As council heard, the issue first came up with a letter from a resident, Mike Henry, who asked about the role of Lennox-Zepp’s spouse in the union negotiations.

“During the occasions where my spouse was the bargaining agent, I quite properly recused myself on every occasion,” she said.

Her spouse works for CUPE National, as does Coun. Head. In Head’s case, he said he works with different locals and has no interaction with either CUPE 882 or 160, the City’s two unions.

At the same time, Head said on Friday that he was taken aback to be part of the motion to probe more into whether there was a conflict because he has taken steps to remove himself every time the issue arose.

Mayor Greg Dionne, who had warned Lennox-Zepp in December that she was in a conflict when she stayed and voted, said because a member of the public brought forward a concern, council has to act.

“This is a legal responsibility councillors owe to the public and as councillors, that responsibility has to come before our personal relationships,” he said. “It has to be put ahead of our relationships with our families, ahead of our relationships with our employers and it has to come ahead of our relationship with each other as colleagues on Council.”

He said, and was echoed by other councillors, that the legal process needs to unfold to keep public confidence in council.

None of the council spoke in favour of having either councillor removed and said they would rather that was not an option.

Lennox-Zepp said she sought her own legal counsel, who told her that she was not in a conflict on the final vote.

The vote passed, but no timeline was given as to how long it will take for a decision.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

P.A. councillor conflict issue to go to court

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