Following a notice of motion earlier this year, council’s decision regarding the third-party whistleblower program and policy will be put off until September.
The notice of motion was brought forward by Coun. Marni Fedeyko at the regular council meeting on Jan. 8, to look into the process of establishing a third-party whistleblower program and policy, with a draft to be brought to council by the end of June.
After a presentation of their findings to council on May 6, council agreed to a demonstration identified by Fedeyko on June 17. The demonstration confirmed that the software was limited to online reporting to complaints and didn’t include the investigative process.
At the regular meeting of council on Monday evening, administration asked council for confirmation on what problems they are looking to address, or to alternatively consider the matter concluded.
Coun. Susan Flowers raised the motion that council received the report for information and direct administration to take no further steps on a whistleblower program at this time.
“I too attended that presentation about the software and I could see very few benefits, but lots of dollars attached to it researching things that may not have any basis to them,” Flowers said. “And over the last few months, we’ve been dealing with complaints in the community, we’ve done our best, we’ve dealt with HR things.
“I think we have a really good system in place, our code of conduct’s updated, [and] I think we have ample opportunity to deal with these kinds of things. So, I’d really like to see it go away, myself.”
With Fedeyko absent at the council meeting, Coun. Tara McFadden hoped to defer the decision, adding that it would be appropriate to give her an opportunity to speak on the topic at the next council meeting.
She later looked to amend the motion that council would receive the report for information, but defer giving direction to administration until the next meeting of council in September on Sept. 9.
Coun. Patrick Wilson agreed with the idea, adding that he would like to hear what Fedeyko would like to say on the matter.
“I don’t see any great consequence of doing so, and [I’m] happy to hear Fedeyko defend whatever position she would have on the program policy she advanced in the first place,” Wilson said.
Mayor Jeff Genung supported the amendment outlining that if it were deferred to the next meeting with no participation from the missing member of council, that they should change their stance.
Although he was originally in favour of advising administration to not move forward on the matter, Coun. Alex Reed later agreed to defer the decision to the following council meeting.
After voting on the amendment, council unanimously voted to receive the report as information and defer a decision to the Sept. 9 regular meeting of council.
