It’s all about the optics.
The mayor, several members of municipal administration and a cluster of councillors took part in an online meeting with the head of the OHL, boss Bryan Crawford, as the league is kicking the tires on the possibility of a franchise coming to Chatham-Kent.
What did not happen was an open invitation to all of council to be in on the online call. Nor did the other councillors receive an update immediately after the meeting.
It’s doubtful there was any breach of ethics here. But the optics, especially in an election year, are blurred.
The safe thing for the mayor to do would have been to include no councillors in the call.
To open it up to all councillors would have created a de facto council meeting. If there are enough councillors present for a quorum (half or more of council), it’s a meeting.
Given the brouhaha from several outspoken members of council who stampeded to social media to complain and explain, one thinks the mayor has loudly learned his lesson. Heck, he issued an apology late last week.
As well he should have.
It’s a bad look when constituents reach out to councillors to ask them about a meeting and learn that their councillors didn’t know about it.
Unfortunately, in this matter, a number of our elected municipal representatives learned about the meeting when the mayor chatted about it on local morning radio.
This is a clear case of communication breakdown.
Why were only a select group asked if they want to take part?
“I chose councillors who have in the past expressed interest in the OHL and in investing in Chatham-Kent’s future,” Canniff explained.
It is understandable that they would have interest in a chat with Crawford on the matter. But one can easily guess every councillor would have interest.
The mayor – technically Chatham-Kent’s CEO – and administration should have held the online meeting with Crawford and then informed all councillors of what transpired before spreading the info via a radio chat.
He didn’t. And he now regrets it.
“Following the meeting, I should have sent an email to all of council explaining the meeting and providing next steps. For that, I certainly apologize; I got caught up in the excitement about this amazing opportunity and what it could mean for the future of our community,” Canniff said.
It’s crucial to keep all of council informed on such matters as they happen. We can’t even count the number of times we have asked questions to administration only to be told they can’t say anything to us until council hears the info first.
Now, all of council, and the public, can hear from the OHL first hand. Crawford will be at Monday’s council meeting to talk about the idea of Chatham-Kent hosting an OHL squad. Everyone and their mother can attend or tune in online.
