Editor's Note: This story has been updated from an earlier version to reflect that Harold G. Elston is still the integrity commissioner for Matheson.
BLACK RIVER-MATHESON - A northern municipality is on the hunt for a new integrity commissioner.
Matheson staff is working on a report on the options to replace the integrity commissioner. Council approved the item at its Sept. 24 meeting.
Ward 2 Coun. Dan Charbonneau stressed the need for clarity on costs and timelines.
“Are we going to be two years for the complaints, or can you do a complaint within two months? It would be good if they could specify that,” he said.
Ontario municipalities are required to have an integrity commissioner, whose role is to make sure that council and local board members are sticking to the rules, and provide advice or education on those rules.
Harold G. Elston has been the township’s integrity commissioner since July 2022.
It was announced that effective June 28 he terminated all ongoing inquiries, leaving five unresolved requests.
SEE: Integrity commissioner ends all Matheson inquiries
TimminsToday reached out to Elston for comment but did not receive a response.
Elston was the integrity commissioner for Cochrane and resigned from there in February.
In Matheson, one major issue earlier this year involved complaints from then-councillor and now-Mayor Dave Dyment against former mayor Doug Bender.
A spring report found that Bender did not engage in bullying or harassment. However, the allegations contributed to perceptions of dysfunction within the council.
SEE: Ousted Matheson councillors broke code of conduct, report finds
RELATED: Commissioner hopes new members heed lessons from 'truly distressing implosion' of council
In a report received at a June 11 meeting. Elston said there was no saving council from itself.
“As witness to a truly distressing implosion of an elected body, perhaps the next council will have a greater appreciation of the need for respectful relations and the danger in failing to get along,” he wrote.
