The town’s Integrity Commissioner will be back in front of council tonight for a report on a potential conflict of interest by the town’s Mayor.
Paul S. Heayn will be presenting his report on a potential infringement of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act (MCIA) by mayor June Caul stemming from incidents at the October 25, 2021, and November 8, 2021, meetings of council. It is alleged that the mayor contravened the MCIA by failing to disclose a conflict of pecuniary interest, as well as participating in a discussion surrounding, and voting on, two matters. The first, at the October 25 meeting, was in regard to a property matter that came before council that pertained to a real estate transaction that Caul, as the member of a local club, had an interest in. No reference to which property was the subject of discussions was made.
The second incident, stemming from the November meeting, was in regards to a legal demand letter that Caul received, charging her with making “misleading and unfairly critical” comments in an issue of the Fort Frances Times. The letter alleges these comments were defamatory in nature.
Heayn will present the report of his findings relating to the matter at tonight’s meeting, including any possible penalties should he find that Caul did contravene any of the MCIA.
Also on the agenda for tonight’s council meeting is an application for a site control plan from Friesen Five Inc. o/a Newfort Developments for their proposed 18-unit residential apartment building located at 814 Scott St., the former location of the Dough and Deli. Construction work on the building has already begun, with excavators working to establish an area for the foundation.
The original plan for the building was to begin in the summer of 2021, however the COVID-19 pandemic and related cost increases of building materials put the project on hold, which in turn pushed back the process of implementing the site plan. Now that the applicant for the building is resuming the project for this year, the site control plan is being implemented.
Plans included in the application show that the building will front onto Scott Street, with parking access made available by Reid Avenue.
Other items on the agenda include a donation to the Chem Free Grad committee for this year’s event, the approval of the town’s updated Emergency Management plan, beginning work on reissuing a Request for Proposal in regards to operations of Sunny Cove Camp and the proclamation of May as “Community Living Month.”
Tonight’s meeting will take place in Council Chambers at the Civic Centre, which has returned to in-person meetings as of April 11. The meeting will continue to be made available virtually. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Committee of the Whole meeting.
