Another Integrity Commissioner’s investigation of Noel

Dryden city council is going ahead once again with an Integrity Commissioner’s investigation into councillor Ritch Noel.

Mayor Jack Harrison put the Notice of Motion forward Monday night, and council supported it by a vote of 5-2.

This is the fourth Integrity Commissioner’s investigation involving councillor Noel, and Harrison says it’s important for council to defend city employees from harassment.

“We need to protect our CAO from these Code of Conduct violations,” Harrison told Dryden city council in giving his rationale for the Notice of Motion.

“I remind council too, when bullying or harassment occurs, it creates a toxic environment for staff.”

Councillor Michelle Price says she’s tired of these seemingly never-ending integrity commissioner reports, but the council has to stand up for city employees.

“This has gone on for a full year now and it’s the talk of the town. Believe me, I’m in a position where I hear it all the time. But that still doesn’t negate the fact the Code of Conduct was brought forward, and that wrong was done so openly so, we can choose to ignore it, and let it continue on, or we can choose to say ‘no’, you have to stop doing that because you are a councillor.”

Harrison’s notice of motion states that councillor Noel made threatening and disparaging comments to the city’s CAO, which is a contravention of the city’s Code of Conduct.