MIRANDA FATUR
Times Reporter
Six-term Township of 91原创 Councillor Kim Richter has been formally censured and will be required to take in-depth training on Respectful Workplace Policy, according to a statement released Monday by the municipality.
Council voted at a closed meeting on Sept. 24 to approve a motion that requires Richter to complete in-depth training and all other members of council to participate in a workshop on the Respectful Workplace Policy.
The action 鈥� the result of a Nov. 27 vote supporting a motion by Coun. Charlie Fox to determine whether the municipality鈥檚 policy had been violated 鈥� is being taken because 鈥渢he Township has a legal obligation to provide a respectful workplace, as is the case with all municipalities,鈥� the release states.
READ MORE:
Although the originating November 2017 resolution of council spoke to investigating social media interactions in relation to the Respectful Workplace Policy, the Sept. 24 resolution does not contain any sanctions of any council members in relation to social media interactions.
According to the motion voted upon on Sept. 24, Richter鈥檚 actions are alleged to have 鈥渋mpacted the workplace for members of staff.鈥�
Responding in a prepared release, Coun. Richter said she is being censured by 鈥渢he Mayor鈥檚 majority on 91原创 Township Council鈥� for 鈥渄oing my job.鈥�
鈥淚n October 2017 I brought to public attention the fact that a sitting member of Council was doing business with the Township. I did not think that was right at the time and considered it my duty to say so publicly, not only in Council and to the press but also on social media including Facebook.鈥�
READ MORE:
鈥淚 unequivocally reject any suggestion in this resolution that there was any reasonable basis for the Gang of 5 on 91原创 Township Council to censure me for anything I have done or said,鈥� Richter wrote.
鈥淚 will not allow my constitutional right to freedom of expression to be chilled by censorship or attacks on my reputation.鈥�
鈥淚 also have no hesitation in saying that this resolution has nothing to do with my use of social media鈥� . Nothing I have said on social media (or to the press or in council) is the actual subject of this motion of censure.鈥�
鈥淚 will not allow my constitutional right to freedom of expression to be chilled by censorship or attacks on my reputation.鈥�
鈥淚 will not allow my constitutional right to freedom of expression to be chilled by censorship or attacks on my reputation.鈥�
Richter called the investigation 鈥渁n extraordinary waste of tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars.鈥�
The cost of the investigation, which took nearly 11 months from the original council resolution, is expected to be about $50,000, which the Township describes as 鈥渟tandard when staff are affected by alleged respectful workplace policy breaches.鈥�
A motion of censure is not censorship, but 鈥渃ouncil鈥檚 way of indicating that the actions of Councillor Richter were unacceptable,鈥� said Mayor Jack Froese.
Noting the allegations come just weeks before the municipal election on Oct. 20, Froese acknowledged that some people may believe the timing was politically motivated, and said some of the reasons the decision took so long are beyond council鈥檚 control.
鈥淭he motion (happened in) November 2017. The time it took to contract with the investigator, the thoroughness of the investigation, it takes time.
鈥淚t went as quickly as it can.
鈥淚t has come in the last meeting of the term, it鈥檚 just the way it is.
鈥淲e struggled with that and wanted to make sure we were fair with everyone.鈥�
At the Sept. 24 Township closed meeting where the Investigation Report Respecting Social Media Interaction and Related Allocations motion was carried, Coun. David Davis and Coun. Petrina Arnason opposed.
Richter indicated she plans to confer with her lawyer about legal options to 鈥渧indicate the reputation which I have built up over my many years of public service.鈥�
Froese said no further information will be provided by the Township on the issue.
鈥淪taff names cannot be released, the details of the interaction will not be released. It is protected.鈥�
