Nanaimo Mayor Bill McKay says allegations of wrongdoing made against him by city council are false.
“Council’s actions and statement are based on speculation, innuendo, misstatements of fact and a misreading of the law,” McKay said Wednesday, calling it an effort “to discredit, humiliate and embarrass” him.
“I contend that it is nothing more than petty politics and does not serve our community in any positive way.”
The mayor’s comments came a day after Nanaimo council issued a statement accusing the mayor of leaking confidential information to a former employee as part of a constructive dismissal and human-rights claim settlement. They said this is in violation of the Community Charter and the Offence Act and they intend to recover damages. Council directed staff to take this information to the RCMP.
Nanaimo RCMP have not said whether they will investigate the allegations.
McKay took issue with the council making its concerns public “rather than through a process that would provide for fair examination of the facts and would permit fair and natural justice to be exercised.”
But Coun. Gord Fuller said councillors want the public to know what’s going on behind closed doors.
“A lot of the stuff has happened in camera, so we haven’t been able to bring it out. Now everything will come out and the public will know,” he said Tuesday.
The allegations against McKay come after months of discord at city hall. Last month, Fuller told the mayor to “bite me” during an argument. In March, seven councillors signed a letter expressing non-confidence in the mayor, who was accused of bullying a city employee.
Council then asked staff to look into the mayor’s financial-disclosure reporting, business dealings and trade missions.
The findings include the mayor allegedly entering into an agreement with Clipper Navigation for a passenger ferry without council approval and failing to report gifts accepted on a trade mission to China.
McKay said it would be an understatement to call the political environment in Nanaimo right now tumultuous.
“In the past year, approximately 10 senior employees have left the organization, and a significant amount of money has been paid out in settlements,” he said. “In the past two weeks, we have seen the CEO of the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation make public statements about his shock and dismay of the reorganization of the NEDC, after which he was fired by his board. Subsequently, 10 members of the board of the Economic Development Corporation have resigned.
“I urge council to stop this behaviour and get on with the very important business we were elected to undertake.”
