Troy Shantz
Sarnia has a new integrity commissioner.
Council approved the hiring of Chatham-based lawyer Paul D. Watson last week to a four-year contract that will cost taxpayers $36,867, plus HST.
Watson comes with 35 years of law experience and three years as Chatham-Kent’s integrity commissioner.
He also has 15 years of experience as a former municipal councillor in Chatham-Kent.
“That’s basically what has attracted me to the work as an integrity commissioner. Combining that with my legal experience, I’m able to look at these issues from different perspectives,” said Watson, who is also president of the Rotary Club of Chatham.
His winning bid is based on a 120-hour retainer that includes mileage and annual expense reports, City Hall said.
In January, councillors rejected a staff recommendation to rehire the city’s first integrity commissioner, Robert Swayze, even though Swayze had the highest technical score and lowest price of four bidders.
Swayze had become a polarizing figure locally after locking horns with Mayor Mike Bradley and finding the mayor in breach of the city’s Code of Conduct on more than one occasion.
Watson spoke highly of the former IC, calling him “a man of integrity.”
“He found himself doing his job in the face of a lot of opposition,” he said.
Watson said the position isn’t to be feared, and he looks forward to providing advice to the mayor and council.
“Our primary goal as integrity commissioners is to get to know our council and to educate council so that they understand the Code of Conduct,” he said.
Swayze’s contract expired March 1, the deadline for all Ontario municipalities to retain an integrity commissioner.
He was paid $112,000 after being hired in 2015, including $82,000 to investigate and substantiate allegations Bradley harassed and intimidated senior managers.
The mayor was censured and twice had his pay suspended by the previous council.