Whitehead vindicated

While much of the city - including me - has been dedicating all their attention to the stadium issue, there's been a lot going on at City Hall. One issue that would have been a major story that's been somewhat sidelined by the stadium debate is the first report of Earl Basse, our integrity commissioner.

Basse ruled that Terry Whitehead did not bully his former assistant, Taylor Beckett,  as she alleged back in December. While he found that Whitehead may not have supervised his assistant closely enough, he also wrote that Beckett was using "city assets" to run a private business on city time and had hid that from Whitehead. Basse writes that this made him question her reliability. Read the full report here.

There were also two other reports into councillors - one about Tom Jackson for a whole range of issues and one about Lloyd Ferguson for publicly stating he wanted a Tim Horton's in City Hall. They were both deemed frivolous.

So, folks, what are your thoughts about the commissioner's first report? The city made a very big deal about creating the role and choosing the right person for the job, and yet Basse's first report passed with very little fanfare. When the reports came up at council last week, no one spoke a word about them (though that may have been because no one wanted to draw attention to the allegations, though they were all proven false).

There are also some questions circulating about the length of time it took to investigate the allegations. Currently, we don't know how much Basse is being paid or whether he is salaried or paid by the hour. There are no time limits for investigations set out in the Integrity commissioner bylaw. However, Basse has said he wanted to make sure that he didn't rush the process and was as thorough as possible. If you read the reports, you can see they are very detailed, exacting, and precise - and that takes time.

Are you satisfied with the reports? Surprised or nonplussed about the conclusions? Do you feel the role of the Integrity Commissioner is worthwhile? 

PS - As you have probably noticed, we have changed our website which influences the blog. If you're looking to reach Hall Marks via the new home page, you click on the little icon that looks like a 'v' in the green toolbar at the top of the page. That will produce a drop-down menu, where you'll be able to click on the City Hall blog link.

Also, the website upgrade means the links to Spec stories I've put in previous posts are now broken. If you're reading an old post and want to access a link that no longer works, shoot me an email and I'll send you the article. Thanks for your understanding!

Comments

[Yves Dubeau]

I find some recommendations ironic such as establishing a level of education and prior experience for admin. assistant to councilors. No such requirements are imposed on our politician and possible harm is way more devastating. Politicians are responsible for over$500 million dollar budgets and supervise staffs and crucial decisions that affect wide range of demographics and they come to their jobs without prior job or life experiences ( Collin been there since graduating from high school!).

[Markalanwhittle]

Bent city hall staff are just like bent cops, expensive to keep, and almost impossible to get rid of. In the private sector you would be fired on the spot, with due cause, for pulling the same stunt as this woman pulled.
What a rediculous way to run a incorporated municipality. That's Hamilton, get used to it, or get out and vote.

[Kathy Hagan]

I am satisfied with the report. I am perplexed why the recipient of the parking ticket did not go in person to discuss the ticket with the parking authority and needed to involve her councilor. The former assistant possibly had some concerns regarding Whiteheads behavior but she lost credibility by running a business on city time and so Mr Basse was correct and fair in his findings

[Robert Black]

What an incredible misuse of city funds. And who pays us!! Taylor Beckett basically steals time and resources from the citizens of hamilton, then makes a frivolous complaint that not only vindicates Councillor Whitehead but demonstrates how an incompetent employee can manipulate the city process and waste thousands of tax payers' money. Whitehead is only guilty of hiring the wrong person and not watching her closely enough. She on the other hand is guilty of wasting money, time, and incredible arrogance.

[Joseph Cotton]

A City Hall employee conducts her own business on the taxpayers dime, and has the nerve to file a nonsense complaint against her employer. Think of the money wasted by her business time on our time, and add the very costly process of the investigation into what turned out to be groundless complaints. A sum total of lots of money spent and an employee (deemed unqualified) still at work in another city department.
Someone should be accountable in this, and its not Whitehead.

[K. May]

The report speaks for itself and I have no problem with the conclusions and recommendations. In fact I would go farther and recommend that staff should be supervised by the Human Resource department. That all new staff be vetted by H.R. However, the fact that the integrity process (City Hall)allowed for such an obviously inconsquential case to go forward is wrong. Some may suggest it was politically driven. Everyone wants to ensure staff are treated appropriately and respectfully but the process has to stand up to protect all parties. It failed in this case. The taxpayers and Mr Whitehead should not have had to pay for this case to go forward.

[Luke Amore]

As a taxpayer who has witnessed firsthand how many of Hamilton’s families have struggled through closures, lockouts and overall hard economic times, I find it absolutely appalling that Ms. Beckett not only has the audacity to make (costly) superficial claims but she did so after using the city’s time and OUR money to further her own personal profit and interests through operating her business on city time. It’s sickening what has been spent, stolen and wasted, when so many hardworking Hamiltonians are in need. Not surprising she was “unavailable,” for comment.

[Robert S]

While there is certainly validity in your respective comments regarding his Assistant's mis-use of City resources and time, the report was hardly compelling. Almost every employee (public or not) misuses company property and time in some way or another. This fact completely misguided Mr. Basse's conclusions and I fail to appreciate how being a typical employee should cause such a discredit to her claims.

[Janis Seagram]

While Emma Reilly’s article focused on the commissioner’s report, I feel this incident brings up an important issue. Putting fourth false claims as this woman did, reduces and devalues the credibility of so many women who legitimately face harassment in the workplace. A side from the financial impact, which seems to be the focus of the majority, I think this woman did a greater disservice to women who actually suffer harassment in the workplace.

[S. Holland]

As a Hamilton Mountain resident, I am pleased with the reports findings. I think Councillor Whitehead's actions during and after the investigation, show he is a man of integrity.

[Damon B.]

In response to Robert S' comments, I am an admin assistant at an accounting firm and yes I check my email, I may occasionally browse online but I guess the difference between Ms. Beckett and the “typical,” employee who checks their email or uses facebook during office hours is first, that this woman’s wages are payed for by our tax dollars and second, she was running her personal business out of a city office. I am pretty sure I would no longer have my job if I ran a business out of the office!

[Allison Knowles]

To comment on Robert thoughts, I don’t think it was actually this woman’s misuse of company property and time that discredited her and her claims. It was more so the fact Ms. Beckett had no problem using the city’s time and property but then took issue when asked to help a constituent during a family emergency or when treating cancer that discredited her.

[K. May]

I would like to thank writer Janis Seagram. Her comments are without a doubt extremely important and I whole heartly agree.

[G. Korroll]

This story has been lost in the noise of the stadium debate. Lucky for the false accuser! False chargers against a councillor, running a business on city time and much to my shock she is still employed by the City. Incredible! Would and should have been front page news if it were not for the tiger cat stories!