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Kincardine, Ont. councillor reprimanded for 'harassing' staff

Municipal building in Kincardine, Ont. on Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Scott Miller/CTV London) Municipal building in Kincardine, Ont. on Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Scott Miller/CTV London)
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A Municipality of Kincardine councillor will not be paid for the next 30 days, after the council’s integrity commissioner found he broke council’s code of conduct.

Dorne Fitzsimmons apologized to staff, council and the community at the last Kincardine council meeting for his actions during a meeting with Kincardine’s acting CAO and director of community services on April 1, 2022.

The integrity commissioner said he’d concluded that during that meeting, Fitzsimmons displayed aggressive and harassing behaviour towards the staff members, while threatening them to “wait until Monday night,” in regards to their disagreement over handling of the community’s off leash dog park and pickle ball courts.

The integrity commissioner recommended the strongest possible punishment, a 90 day suspension of pay, and not allowing Fitzsimmons to have any direct contact with staff for the duration of his term. Council decided to dock Fitzsimmons pay for 30 days.

Fitzsimmons has apologized to staff, council and the community.

Meanwhile, Kincardine council is awaiting the findings of an integrity commissioner’s report into the actions of another Kincardine councillor.

Councillor Dave Cuyler was heard directing a derogatory term at fellow councillor Laura Haight during an April 4 council meeting.

He later said he was directing the derogatory and sexist term at himself. 

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