The Town of The Blue Mountains will conduct a full bid process for integrity commissioner services.
Council made the decision to launch a request for proposals (RFP) for a new integrity commissioner at its committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 16. The RFP option narrowly passed in a 4-2 vote, with Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon and Coun. Gail Ardiel opposed. Mayor Andrea Matrosovs was absent to attend a Grey County event.
At the meeting, two other resolutions on the matter were defeated in split 3-3 votes.
CAO Shawn Everitt presented a report on integrity commissioner services that provided two possible avenues for council to pursue. The first would be a full RFP process to select a new integrity commissioner. The other would be to link up with Grey County and use the county’s integrity commissioner firm, Principles Integrity. Everitt explained that The Blue Mountains is the only municipality in Grey that does not use the firm chosen by the county.
The town’s contract with its current integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig expires at the end of the year. Part of the resolution on the matter directed staff to seek a three-month extension of Craig’s contract with the town, to allow the RFP process to be completed.
In his comments on the matter, Everitt said the town is satisfied and happy with the service provided by Craig, but, with her contract expiring, town policy requires competitive bids to select a new service provider.
The issue divided council and set off a lengthy debate and discussion. Ardiel first moved a motion to use the county’s firm for integrity commissioner services. This change would allow the town to avoid the RFP process, which Everitt estimated would cost $4,500 to $5,500 in staff time. Ardiel cited “efficiencies” as the prime reason for supporting the Grey County option.
However, other members of council objected. Coun. June Porter said the town’s accountability and transparency working group discussed the integrity commissioner issue extensively and the Grey County option was not the preferred course.
“This was not the direction we discussed,” said Porter. “This is not a reflection of the discussion we had.”
Coun. Paula Hope said a “clear and transparent” RFP process was important on this matter.
“The cost is well worth the investment. It’s very important we go through the RFP process,” said Hope.
Everitt clarified the Grey County option was brought forward as an alternative option for the town and that staff were not making a recommendation on how to proceed.
“This is council’s decision,” he said.
Ardiel’s motion was ultimately defeated 3-3 with Porter, Hope and Coun. Shawn McKinlay opposed. A third resolution, which would have been an amendment to the RFP resolution, would have seen Porter (who will chair the town’s accountability and transparency committee) included as a full participant in the RFP process. This amendment was defeated in a 3-3 vote with Bordignon, Ardiel and Coun. Alex Maxwell opposed.
As a normal course of town policy, members of council do not participate in the RFP selection process, which is a staff function. Members of council were leery of not following normal RFP procedures.
“We’ve never had anybody do this before,” said Ardiel.
Bordignon said having one member of council participate in the RFP selection process would be the “opposite of accountability and transparency.”
“To me, this is a slippery slope on any RFP,” he said. “I wouldn’t put myself in that position.”
