INNISFAIL - Town council has received an interim summary report on an ongoing investigation related to the municipality's code of conduct.
During the Oct. 26, 2020 council meeting, Coun. Donnie Hill asked to make a motion that council retain an external consultant to conduct and investigation of council’s “ongoing” code of conduct issues.
Following that meeting, both Hill and mayor Jim Romane said the central issue of the investigation would be around communication and the way it has been done by the community’s elected officials.
Council subsequently passed a motion authorizing the probe and in November the external, independent investigation of matters associated with council’s upholding of its code of conduct was launched.
SAGE Analytics Inc. was contracted to undertake the review.
A summary report from SAGE was presented to council on Jan. 25 during an in-camera session. The report has not been made public.
Coming out of the Jan. 25 in-camera meeting, council passed a motion stating: “That council receive and consider the SAGE investigation report on the Council Code of Conduct matter C-03-2021 involving councillor Donnie Hill.”
In a Jan. 27 media release, the town said, “The code of conduct investigation remains ongoing regarding other matters with the understanding further information will be presented to council at a future meeting.”
Hill is currently facing Criminal Code charges, including sexual assault and unlawful confinement. The charges, laid in October, are not believed to involve the town or Hill’s position on council.
In an interview following the media release, the town's chief administrative officer, Todd Becker, was asked what is meant by the wording “involving Donnie Hill” in the motion.
“Obviously there has been some reference to councillor Hill and that is part of the in-camera discussion. So obviously part of that review investigation is pointed towards councillor Hill,” said Becker.
Asked if the investigation is related to criminal charges Hill is facing, he said he could not comment.
The town has not released the cost of the investigation to date and there is no immediate timeline for the report to be made public, he said.
