Comprehensive Coverage of Hamilton's Civic Affairs
Merulla’s latest threats come 14-months after he threatened a CHCH journalist for airing footage of his behaviour during a Council meeting.
The IC did not complete an investigation of that incident either.
HCLC’s letter notes serious errors of law which raise even more questions about the legality of the investigation than have already been raised.
IPC now reaching out to the City of Hamilton “to determine the details of the incident the Mayor referenced in his statement”
Swayze sat down in early 2019 with Adam Donaldson for his Guelph Politico podcast, it is an insightful interview on the role of the Integrity Commissioner and the boundaries of the position.
In paras 20 and 21 of their own investigative report, Atwood-Petkovski and Abrams making findings of fact which mean the LGBTQ Advisory Committee is not a Local Board. At this point, the investigation is ultra vires. They just ignore the law, the Municipal Act, and carry on.
This is a rare instance of Council entering into quasi-judicial decision making – they are sitting in judgment of an individual, must determine guilt, and render a decision which complies with both the Municipal Act, common law, and natural justice.
Hamilton City Council’s Integrity Commissioner releases their first ever complete investigative report, and The Public Record explains how it is illegal and makes incorrect contradictory claims. A four-part series.
Study after study after study proves the value of local journalism to local democracy. They confirm the decline in coverage of local elections, caused by decreasing number of local journalists as daily newspapers close, is making local elections less competitive and voter turnout is declining more rapidly in communities that have lost daily news coverage. The result is increased corruption in local government resulting from lower accountability.
During the past few years, Council has heard appeals from individuals who’ve had high water usage. Often, these are outdoor leaks and the individuals seek to have wastewater fees waived. By policy, staff are not allowed to waive these fees.
City may experience a record surplus as higher levels of government pick up COVID costs. This compares to his earlier forecast of a $62-m deficit for 2020.
