LAURIE WEIR

Why are so  many councillors under investigation in Rideau Lakes?

She’s only been a councillor for 16 months and already she’s the subject of a second Integrity Commissioner’s report. 

Rookie councillor Paula Banks sought to do some damage control ahead of an in-camera session on Monday, Sept. 23 during a regular community services committee meeting in Rideau Lakes Township. She was found guilty in January for breaching the Code of Conduct, and suspended three weeks’ pay. 

“I’d like to put forth a motion,” she began, shortly after Mayor Arie Hogenboom called the meeting to order, seeking any additions or amendments to the agenda.

“We’re going into closed to review a complaint against myself,” she said. “I would like to ask council that if the recording is not working for any reason if we can postpone that meeting because my lawyer would like a copy. I know we had an issue with that with Coun. (Linda) Carr so I just want to make sure it can be postponed.”

(Coun. Carr is also the subject of an IC report, which council originally kept from public view. It has been referred to the Ombudsman for review.)

Banks added that she was “preparing for the worst because it happened to Coun. Carr and we didn’t postpone and her lawyer was not able to get a copy so my lawyer has asked for a copy.”

Chief administrative officer Shellee Fournier said they’d check the recording to ensure it was working before going into the closed session.

Hoogenboom stated they didn’t need a motion for that. 

Then came the declarations of pecuniary interest and there were three pertaining to IC reports — the declarations were noted by councillors Jeff Banks, Paula Banks and Deputy Mayor Marcia Maxwell. 

Following the closed session, a motion to bring forth the IC Report against Maxwell to the Oct. 7 meeting was passed. 

Ahead of the vote to bring the IC report regarding complaints against both Paula and Jeff Banks, Paula Banks spoke to the issue. 

She said she agreed with bringing the report forward to council on Oct. 7. 

“I do support this being made public because that’s why we have integrity commissioners. And I do support the penalty that it’s going to give, but there is factual misinformation in all three of these reports,” she said. 

The motion was carried and all IC reports will be on the next meeting of council slated for Oct. 7. 

Following the meeting, Paula Banks took to her social media page to release a statement: “It is not nice when you are accused of so many wrong doings you have to spend time collecting and submitting 56 pages of evidence,” she wrote. “I encourage those interested in Councillor Carr’s investigation or these new ones to tune into the live meeting. These false accusations and investigations are getting out of hand and costing tax payers a lot of money.” 

Paula Banks added that she wouldn’t go into details but “I could prove my innocence and the errors in the document were numerous enough to ask that the investigator be terminated,” she stated. 

“… I will answer all questions when my investigation is made public … This council needs someone to lead and support all of us and I hope the mayor steps up and denounces these frivolous investigations and addresses those that are involved in starting all this drama in council and in our community.”