Sarnia mayor steps down from police board amid concerns over 'spending and secrecy'

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley speaks with CTV News on the morning after being elected for the 11th time in a row as mayor of Sarnia, Ont., Oct. 25, 2022. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

After serving on Sarnia’s Police Services Board for over 35 years, Mayor Mike Bradley has decided to step down.

In a letter to council, Bradley said he has serious concerns “about the operation of the board, the sense of secrecy of the board, the spending of the board and accountability of administration.”

On Wednesday, Bradley told CTV News London that he received multiple code of conduct complaints from the board whenever he expressed his difference of opinions as mayor.

“In the last six months this board has been doing a lot of things behind closed doors which in my opinion should be public, including a three-hour education system to talk about the budget, which we’ve never done before,” the mayor said.

He added, “At a time when there is great distrust in public bodies, the worst thing you can do is put a cloak of secrecy around ‘budget discussions’ so it's the secrecy and the spending.”

Some of the Bradley’s concerns stem from the board’s increased spending, including an 11.5 per cent increase for a possible new Sarnia police building which he claims will put the city in debt.

“Council and I have spent 20 years reducing the debt from $100-million, using the savings from not paying interest to the banks, to re-invest in the community. That would be all wiped out if this proposed new police station proceeded,” the mayor said.

Members of the police board, including Chair Paul Wiersma, said he’s surprised to see the mayor step away, though he is grateful for Bradley’s dedication to the police board.

Over the last few months there has been a significant reorganization including a new police chief and deputy chief, said Wiersma.

In response to Bradley’s concerns over the board’s spending and secrecy, the chair said the board has made several changes to be more accountable to the public, including new meeting locations that are open to the public.

“I appreciate the mayor has a dissenting view that he’s entitled to,” Wiersma added. “I can’t say I agree with the way he sees things,”