Members of Amherstburg's town council will go over a report on Monday night recommending a member of the town's licensing committee be removed.
The recommendation is from the town's Integrity Commissioner, who investigated an incident during an open house at the Libro Centre last October.
A member of the committee allegedly approached a female town staff member, and publicly called the Chief Administrative Officer a "f******g b***t" and suggested Valerie Critchley's handling of information to "holding A-bomb secrets."
The staff member tried to de-escalate the situation, but the man instead became even more agitated, insisting she attend a meeting of his taxpayer group. She declined.
The incident was reported to a supervisor, who brought the matter to councillors. Council has the power to both appoint and remove members of members, but for the sake of fairness, asked the Integrity Commissioner to investigate.
The Integrity Commissioner now recommends the member be removed from their position.
"His behaviour, his use of expletives, and his disrespectful statements are conduct which reflects poorly on the town," said an analysis of the incident. "If he were simply a member of the public, his behaviour would reflect solely on himself. However, as an appointee to the Licensing Commission, to whom the public may attribute some knowledge and awareness of municipal operations, his conduct risks bringing the town into disrepute."
The member, identified as Del Oxford, did leave a voicemail message for the staff member he had confronted, suggesting he had "taken it too far." He has not apologized to Critchley.
The Integrity Commissioner's findings are that the member's behaviour was "inappropriate and that it breached the Code of Conduct." A report to the council continues to say, "We believe an appropriate remedy is for the respondent to voluntarily resign from his position on the Amherstburg licensing commission. In the event the respondent does not resign, it falls within the Council's jurisdiction to determine whether to revoke his appointment."
