Council orders independent Code-of-Conduct investigation into three of its councillors as the probe into financial irregularities and unusual staff payouts continue at the City of Chestermere.
The City of Chestermere has ordered a Code-of-Conduct investigation into three of its City Councillors.
Council voted 4-to-1 to hire a 3rd party to conduct the investigation following an in-camera session during a Special Council Meeting convened on July 26. 2022.
Council voted to:
- Direct Administration to hire a 3rd party investigator regarding a Facebook posting by Councillor Ritesh Narayan.
- Direct Administration to hire a 3rd Party Investigator to look into letter published in the Chestermere Anchor that was penned and signed by Councillor Ritesh Narayan, Councillor Shannon Dean and Councillor Sandy Johal-Watt.
- Direct Administration to hire a 3rd Party investigator to review certain documentation that was released by Councillor Ritesh Narayan, Councillor Shannon Dean and Councillor Johal-Watt.
“This investigation is necessary to ensure that all council members have and will abide by a code of conduct that will not disrupt or interfere with the other investigations that have been ordered by council,” said Mayor Jeff Colvin.
“It is imperative that all these investigations and others to be announced soon will be carried out in an impartial manner, without undue influence and outside pressure by any of the parties involved.”
“If a contravention is established, measures taken will be proportionate to the nature and circumstances of the contravention and where appropriate, be educative and remedial for all council members and staff.”
The City of Chestermere has recently also ordered investigations into
- employee pay-out packages amounting to almost $600,000 given to two staff members who resigned – in violation of the city’s policy that says the council must approve payments over $75,000.00.
- financial irregularities at Chestermere Utilities Inc. (1538974 Alberta Ltd).
Details of the financial irregularities and employee pay-out packages have been passed on to Alberta’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs for their provincial inspection.
This process began in November 2021, shortly after the current council was elected to office and prior to the announcement of the provincial inspection by Alberta’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
“We are fully supportive of the on-going provincial inspection into the city’s governance, policies and practices. In fact, shortly after we took office in November of 2021, we were concerned by what we had uncovered and brought the information directly to Minister Ric McIver at Alberta’s Municipal Affairs Office, and since that time, the Municipal Inspector has requested the relevant information be supplied to him” said Mayor Jeff Colvin.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kim Wallace
Chief of Staff
City of Chestermere
(825) 735-4374
kimOS@chestermere.ca