Monday’s council meeting was a bit more controversial than usual, and not in relation to regular council banter but more so what happened outside of council chambers and the fallout from those actions.
Lethbridge resident Reuben Tams was standing in front of council doors, sporting a t-shirt with a quote on it from Mayor Chris Spearman reading, “Instead of whining, why not just LEAVE.”
Tams was also handing out the t-shirts and printed copies of an email he said were given to him by Coun. Joe Mauro.
The email sent to Coun. Mauro from the mayor dates from earlier this year and stems from a citizen complaint letter about the ARCHES organization, a local organization that works on HIV and Hepatitis C issues. A resident had complained his vehicle was broken into near the ARCHES facility and used needles were left behind.
The email quotes Spearman telling Mauro: “I’m tired of your insults and insinuations, I work really hard to make this city a better place.”
The mayor talks about other council discrepancies and ends with: “you truly are a moron.”
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When Spearman was asked about the email, he didn’t deny sending it.
“Obviously, somebody leaked a private email that only Mr. Mauro and I had access to, I can guarantee you it wasn’t me,” Spearman said.
“When it’s between two individuals, we have some pretty harsh conversations sometimes,” Spearman added. “I would say to you, is it professional to leak a conversation between two individuals?”
Coun. Mauro declined to comment to Global News after Monday’s council meeting and in an email on Tuesday said, “Thanks for the opportunity to speak but at this time I have no comment; in (I’m) not willing to go there, it’s in the past.”
This comes on the heels of council passing a code of conduct at Monday’s meeting. The new bylaw states that formal complaints can be issued and potentially lead to an investigation into council conduct.
“There is a 15-day limit, but it’s 15 days from when the member becomes aware of the incident,” said Faron Ellis, a political science instructor at Lethbridge College. “So even if these emails were written in the past, conceivably, another member of council could say, ‘I, as a member of council, believe that the language in the emails was inappropriate and should warrant at least this type of investigation.'”
As for consequences stemming from a complaint under this bylaw, Ellis says no councillors can be removed, but that sanctions can be made against the potential offending parties.
City council will resume again on Aug. 7.
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