Smiths Falls council votes to impose a two-week pay suspension after probe confirms code of conduct breach
SMITHS FALLS – A town councillor will be suspended two weeks pay for breaching the code of conduct.
Smiths Falls council has accepted the Integrity Commissioner’s findings that Coun. Dawn Quinn breached the municipal code of conduct and has voted to impose a sanction following discussion at the Oct. 6 committee meeting.
The report, prepared by Integrity Commissioner Tony Fleming and first presented Sept. 22, concluded that Quinn was in conflict when she participated in a funding decision that benefited Davison Courtyard, a location connected to her business. The item was deferred at that time to allow council more discussion on possible sanctions and to give Quinn a chance to respond publicly.
Town clerk Kerry Costello introduced the matter again Monday night, noting that Smiths Falls council was required to formally receive the report and decide whether to impose a sanction. She also reported that legal and Integrity Commissioner fees related to the file totalled $2,592.22, which will be posted on the town website for a minimum of five years as required.
Quinn told council she believed the complaint was unnecessary and could have been resolved through conversation.
“I’m not sure who filed this report, and that bothers me,” she said. “If the person had come and talked to me, this could have been cleared up easily. My business is part-time and closed Mondays, and I’m not trying to expand it. I’m very sorry for the waste of time and money.”
Several councillors responded that while the process was unfortunate, the findings needed to be respected. Members of Smiths Falls council emphasized the importance of upholding standards.
“It’s never a waste of time,” Coun. Peter McKenna said referring to the investigation into an integrity breach. “We’re held to high standards.”
Coun. Jay Brennan said he accepted the Integrity Commissioner’s conclusion, with regrets, noting the importance of transparency in decision-making.
Coun. Jennifer Miller and Coun. Chris McGuire also voiced support for the Integrity Commissioner’s work, emphasizing that the process upholds accountability and public confidence.
McGuire suggested adding a training component for council members on conflict-of-interest rules, but others, including Mayor Shawn Pankow, said additional training was unnecessary at this stage.
Pankow acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.
“Conflict-of-interest rules are in place to protect the integrity of council’s decision-making,” he said. “While this isn’t an easy decision, it’s important to respect and uphold the process.”
Smiths Falls council passed two motions; one to formally receive the report and post it publicly, and a second to apply the sanction recommended by the Integrity Commissioner.
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