Council and staff working at the township of Douro-Dummer have been dealing with constituents that have been occupying a substantial amount of municipal resources. It was due to this concern that a special closed session meeting was held on March 18 prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting.
It was at this time that council and select staff met with solicitor John Mascarin to discuss the legal aspects of the topic. The incamera meeting began at 4:32 p.m and was completed at 5:20 p.m when council rose from the meeting with a public statement.
The public statement was read aloud by councillor at large Tom Watt and went as follows:
Municipalities were created by the Province to be responsible and accountable governments for the core purpose of providing good government on matters within their jurisdiction.
The Township of Douro-Dummer is committed to delivering excellent, impartial and accessible customer services. Every member of Council and every member of staff strives to provide the best service to all the residents of the Township.
In the interests of openness, accountability and transparency, the Township has always attempted to address questions and queries from constituents and others doing business with the municipality in a prompt, proportionate and professional manner.
Recently, however, a small number of individuals and a largely anonymous group have commenced what can only be viewed as a crusade of disruption in our Township.
These individuals and group have embarked upon a campaign which appears designed to target certain members of our staff and to monopolize their time in a wholly disproportionate manner. Members of Council are not immune as they have been bombarded with demands for responses to matters that will be discussed, debated and deliberated upon in formal meetings of Council.
To date, these individuals and group have primarily targeted our staff with multiple, repetitious and time-consuming questions and demands which far exceed our limited capacity to properly respond. When answers are provided, they are more often than not alleged to be insufficient and unsatisfactory. Seemingly, each response appears to trigger exponentially multiplying additional questions. Follow-up demands often materialize before any realistic time frame for providing an adequate and considered response has passed.
Such behaviour impedes our staff from providing essential service to others who are equally and fully entitled to have their matters addressed with a proper degree of care and attention.
Moreover, the tone and tenor of these communications is becoming increasingly impolite, discourteous and plainly uncivil. These communications bear the typical hallmarks of online harassment: passive-aggressive stances; micro-aggressions; hostility; false politeness; veiled criticism; sarcasm; continuing persistence.
This is effectively a form of harassment – these individuals and group are attempting to exploit our staff resources and their good patience. They are also attempting to prod and coerce Council members to speak out of turn and away from the Council table.
Such actions will not be tolerated by Council. First, we have a duty as the decision-making body for the Township and that is as an employer under the ESA to ensure that all members of staff are protected from workplace harassment. Second, we have a fiduciary duty to provide equal services and treatment to all residents of the Township and not just to those comprising a vocal minority. Lastly, we have a Public Conduct Policy which is being flouted by what has become vexatious conduct.
Going forward, this Council will not tolerate communications from any person or group that constitutes vexatious conduct as outlined in the Public Conduct Policy.
The public is forewarned – communications to our staff or to members of Council that are vexatious will not be responded to – FULL STOP.
The motion to accept the public statement was moved by councillor Watt and seconded by councillor Ray Johnston
The motion carried.
A second motion was tabled by Dummer Ward councillor Adam Vervoort public statement which read as follows:
That the staff be directed to apply fees for Routine Disclosure Requests in accordance with Township Policy and the User Fees and Charges By-law.
The motion was seconded by deputy mayor Neslon, then passed.
Mayor Heather Watson told The Herald “Council is united in its commitment to ensuring respectful, fair, and accessible service for all residents of Douro-Dummer. However, we will not allow Township staff or Council to be subjected to a campaign of disruption that includes repetitive demands, veiled criticism, and passive-aggressive communications clearly intended to overwhelm and intimidate; this is not constructive engagement, and it will not be tolerated. We have a responsibility to protect public resources and ensure our time and efforts are focused on serving the entire community.”
