Halifax’s mayor is being investigated for allegedly breaching the municipal code of conduct regarding comments he made on the structure of our municipal government, says two HRM residents.
According to CBC, the residents say Andy Fillmore was misleading when he said in Juy, the mayor reports to the chief administrative officer, who he said holds all the power.
This came amid chatter over strong mayor powers, and why he would not dismiss them.
Multiple councillors as well as current CAO Cathie O’Toole, disagreed with his statement.
The residents say they filed a complaint with the city over the comments, which led to the investigation.
HRM’s structure has the CAO report to regional council, which the mayor is part of, then communicates to city staff on their behalf.
In a joint statement with current CAO Cathie O’Toole, Fillmore acknowledged that while the CAO does report to council, the Halifax organizational chart shows the mayor’s office falls under the CAO’s unit.
The report will come back to council within six months, to discuss the issue in private and make a decision.
Council will address publicly what section of the code relates to the complaint, as well as any recommendations or sanctions.
