At its upcoming virtual meeting set for next Monday night, Elliot Lake City Council will be asked to re-affirm it's decision last year that Councillor Chris Patrie no longer be allowed to attend meetings of Algoma District Services Administration Board (ADSAB) or other external boards and committee meetings.
Last December, council voted to appoint Councillor Tom Turner as the city's new representative on the external board in place of Councillor Patrie. In November of last year, council had voted to remove Patrie from all committees and external boards as part of the Integrity Commissioner's recommended sanctions.
However, a report to council from Elliot Lake CAO Daniel Gagnon indicates Patrie attended a recent ADSAB meeting on May 7 contrary to council's edict. As well, Gagnon said Patrie had also attended other ADSAB meetings in defiance of council's decision.
He recommended that "Council waive client solicitor privilege with respect to the legal opinion related to the council appointment to ADSAB and direct staff to post the legal opinion on the municipal website or disclose it upon request from the media or the public, and that ADSAB be informed of this public disclosure."
"Councillor Patrie continues to attend ADSAB meetings despite council's direction," Gagnon added. "Relevant legal opinion related to this matter was reviewed by council in closed session at a special meeting on May 1, 2020."
"The City's Integrity Commissioner recommended that all of council review the legal opinion," he concluded.
"From staff's perspective, there is nothing particularly sensitive in the legal opinion. But only council can waive client solicitor privilege. For the record, lawyer John Mascarin has no concerns with the legal opinion being disclosed in the public interest."