West Nipissing council toxic, unsafe work environment for staff, CAO says

The chief administrative officer (CAO) of West Nipissing says municipal staff will no longer attend town council and committee meetings, due to a toxic work environment. 

This term of council has been marked by dysfunction and infighting among councillors, which has limited its ability to get municipal business done. 

"I have a duty to protect staff from harmful situations which may have psychological and emotional impacts," said CAO Jay Barbeau in a memo to Mayor and Council. 

Barbeau compared the "toxicity and conflict" to other potentially unsafe work conditions, such as faulty equipment, saying "emotional and psychological situations are no less important."

'Ridiculously toxic'

West Nipissing Mayor Joanne Savage said not having staff at meetings will be "a disservice to our tax payers," but she said it wasn't her place to say if it was the right decision.

"That's up to the CAO to determine if it's the best call. He has a responsibility for his staff. And am I surprised that it's been done? No I'm not surprised, I'm not shocked," Savage said. 

"Toxicity existed since the beginning of this term. And basically, no one wants to admit or even look in the mirror to see what they do wrong and how they can better their position to fulfil their obligations." 

Councillors Roland Larabie and Dan Roveda — both on the opposite side of the council divide as the mayor — said they support the CAO's decision. 

"[Staff have] been very very patient in the last two years. It's been actually ridiculously toxic. And I think that he had no choice [but] to do it," Roveda said. 

Roveda said staff have been put in a position "where everything that they've brought to the table have been nit-picked. And I find that, you know, these are professionals, they know what they're doing. And at times there's certain members of council that have attacked that."

Asking province to intervene

Barbeau declined a request for an interview, but said in the memo that he also sent the letter to the ministers of municipal affairs and labour, in the hopes that the province will intervene. 

The ministry of labour said it has not received a formal work refusal or complaint from the Municipality of West Nipissing, and will investigate if it does. 

Coun. Lise Sénecal said she expects the province to step in. 

"They have the power to dismiss council. And at this point in time, you know what,  they need to make the best decision not for us, for the people that we represent that pay tax for the salary for the staff and our salary," Sénecal said.