Chestermere City Councillor Laurie Bold was sanctioned for eight infractions of the council code of conduct at the Feb. 5 council meeting.
Bold was removed from all serving on all council appointed committees, and boards for one year.
She has also been relieved from representing city council at any conferences, meetings, or any other representations outside of the city for the same one-year period.
After six months, Bold is allowed to appeal, in person to council in an in camera session to request to be appointed to one or more committees, boards or to represent the city.
Council’s decision came after six written complaints were received by the Mayor and city’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Bernie Morton between Dec. 5-8, 2018.
The complaints stemmed from an e-mail Councillor Bold sent on Dec. 5 in regard to a matter discussed in camera by city council at the Dec. 4 council meeting.
The complaints alleged that 10 sections of the Elected Officials Code of conducted were breached by Bold.
As required by the code of conduct, the CAO conducted a preliminary review of the complaints to determine whether an investigation was warranted.
A formal investigation was determined to be required and was conducted by Morton.
Of the 10 alleged breaches, eight were determined to be substantiated, the details of which were included in a confidential report to council.
Councillor Bold has been sanctioned by council on several past occasions for breaches of the code of conduct.
In the motion that was read into the record by Councillor Michelle Young, before being passed by a majority of city council it was stated that, “past council-imposed sanctions on this councilor have not thwarted behaviours that breach the Elected Officials Code of Conduct bylaw.”
The fact that the previous sanctions did not have the desired effect is what led council to remove Bold from council committees.
