Thread by @KatePorterCBC

It's the giant last #ottcity meeting before summer break. Chiarelli investigation, in-camera on RTG contract, ward boundaries, Cumberland byelection. Plus many motions - bars in Market, child care and schools in COVID, etc.

Follow @jchianello and me - all day.

#ottnews

Coun Chiarelli declares a conflict of interest b/c integrity commissioner's report is on the agenda. Marleau found he contravened the code of conduct, should get 90 days without pay, 3 times consecutively, for 3 complainants. (@jchianello's story: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot… #ottnews

NEW: Mayor Jim Watson says #OttCity has hired Yusra Osman as the anti-racism specialist for the new anti-racism secretariat. He says she's a Black-Canadian, anti-racism educator, registered social worker, mental health counsellor and researcher.

#ottnews

Mayor Watson: 350 patios/cafe seating have sprung up this year, 260 more than last year.

Also, seven road closures for patios, leading to an extra 500 seats for customers.

#Ottcity has been easing rules to help businesses during COVID. #ottnews

BG: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

Dr. Etches says some activities are higher risk, with Stage 3 reopenings, there's no question.

On masks, she knows the word mandatory "sounds heavy", but it's because of need to protect the population. Started with voluntary masks, didn't quite get there.

#ottnews #ottcity

GM Anthony DiMonte runs #ottcity council through the bylaw to make masks mandatory. It "mirrors" the directive Dr. Etches put in place July 7.

They don't want to see confrontations with operators. Wearing a mask is an individual responsibility, he says.

cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

Fines for not wearing masks is a "last resort", will be "used sparingly", says GM DiMonte.

Coun. Menard tries to reduce the minimum fine.

The proposed bylaw says $500-$100,000 but staff report says #ottcity will seek fine of $200 for individuals, $400 for corporations.

Coun. Menard wants the minimum mandatory mask fine at $40, because a a few hundred dollars is unaffordable for many.

But GM DiMonte says a bylaw officer handing out a $40 fine is not a disincentive. Even $200 is on the low end for most #ottcity bylaw fines.

Egli won't support Menard's motion to lower the fine for manadatory masks: "It still has to be meaningful. And if I can get fined for having my dog off-leash more than for putting my neighbour or family member at risk, to me that doesn't make sense."

#ottcity

Coun. Kavanagh worries about people not wearing masks being bullied, wonders about lanyards for those with conditions.

Dr. Etches says OPH doesn't even want to make it that complicated. Doesn't want people to have to show proof. She's often urged kindness, instead. #ottcity

Mayor Watson now, ahead of a vote about mandatory masks:

Whether you're rich or poor, the message is if you don't want to get fined, wear a mask.

#ottnews #ottcity

Council approved a bylaw to make masks mandatory at indoor public spaces (it has a sunset clause, but council could renew it at its late-August meeting.)

They voted down 14 to 8 a move by Coun. Menard to reduce the minimum fine far below the planned $200-$400 range.

#ottnews

#ottcity Council has gone in-camera for a briefing by the city solicitor re. the integrity commissioner's investigation into misconduct by Coun. Chiarelli.

Chiarelli says he's sought a judicial review, and said today the court will schedule a time for exchanging materials.

Council is back from an in-camera session. Now, the integrity commissioner's report into alleged misconduct by Rick Chiarelli.

Integrity commissioner has no opening remarks.

cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

#ottnews

Coun. Cloutier says he's happy speak up finally, and accepts Marleau's findings.

He wants #ottcity council to do what it can to support victims and to "offer what little justice we can."

Cloutier says options available for sanctions are limited, "totally inadequate." #ottnews

Brockington thanks integrity commissioner Marleau for his investigation of Chiarelli: "I read your report word for word."

"To the three complainants, I simply say thank you for your courage to come forward. I believe you."

#ottnews

Moffatt: "The councillor made a clear attempt to fund their legal defence from their constituency services budget?"

"Yes, the ask was made," says the clerk of Chiarelli.

Moffatt pauses "That's incredibly egregi..." #ottcity

The mayor thanks the women for courage, strength and perseverance.

And, he thanks the integrity commissioner for an independent and diligent investigation, despite having his office challenged by Chiarelli and his legal team. #ottnews

Mayor Jim Watson thanks @jchianello's investigative reporting on Chiarelli allegations.

"She and I don't agree on a lot of things, but her work on this story has been thorough, sensitive and even-handed. She has helped to give a public voice to these courageous women. #ottnews

Ottawa city council votes unanimously to suspend Councillor Rick Chiarelli's pay for 270 days, beginning August 14.

Mayor Watson says what three women described after job interviews with the councillor was "disgusting and completely inappropriate behaviour".

#ottnews #ottcity

"My experience has been that innocent people don't sneak into council and then sneak out the back door of city hall," Mayor Watson said.

He says Marleau's findings go beyond "he said, she said" to include documents, people the women spoke to after meeting Chiarelli. #ottnews

#OttCity council calls a by-election in Cumberland ward for October 5.

BG: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

#ottnews

Council approves the refresh of the 10-year housing and homelessness plan: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

And the capital plan for housing for 2020: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

#ottnews #ottcity

Council approves development at Rochester/Preston/Beech on a parking lot in Little Italy. Its main floor leaves room for a grocery store. #ottcity

Council approves a 9-storey apartment building across from the Experimental Farm at 1110 Fisher, in a 14-7 vote. The ward councillor, Riley Brockington, opposed it. #ottnews #ottcity

Still held: recruitment for councillors' staff, ward boundary review, NCC's Building LeBreton, the controversial church addition in Trend-Arlington.

But for now, Council has gone in-camera again. This time: Rideau Transit's contract and LRT.

#ottnews #ottcity

After a couple of hours, #ottcity council is back out from their private video conference on the problems of LRT.

They will not report out anything discussed re. the Rideau Transit contract and legal issues. #ottnews

Now, council discusses a report on how they recruit their staff. The review stems from the Chiarelli allegations last fall:

cbc.ca/news/canada/ot….

#ottnews

Kavanagh has a motion to give councillors' assistants a contact in HR, while McKenney has one requiring interviews be in city facilities and have a third party present.

Egli seconded McKenney's: "the report is a good one but we need to do more."

cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…
#ottnews

Both of those motions were carried, with dissents on the Kavanagh motion by Brockington and Darouze, I believe.

My mistake. They dissented on part 1 of McKenney motion - "A third party from the Office of the City Clerk or Human Resources shall be present during all interviews for Councillors’ Assistant positions". Brockington said he already uses a 3rd party, HR would be more logistics.

Ward boundaries. Mayor Jim Watson wants a sixth option. Many councillors haven't liked the 5 so far: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

"There's been some discussion today about this is gerrymandering. There's only one person whose boundaries do not change, and that's the mayor." #ottnews

Watson says he still firmly believes council should stay the same size. He doesn't want to council to grow larger than Toronto's (and give the province a reason to reduce Ottawa's council size as it did Toronto's). #ottcity

Moffatt says he was the only one to vote against keeping council the same size when they began this redrawing of wards.

You can't stay stick at 23 ward seats and fix your problems (regarding representation), Moffatt says.

"Let [the consultants] do their job," he says. #ottnews

Other councillors don't think it's their place to "meddle" either, in the redrawing of the electoral map.

"That's not our job ... that's the whole idea of an independent third party," says Keith Egli.

"We shouldn't be directing this," says Shawn Menard.

#ottcity

Luloff makes his argument while carrying his baby. Of the 5 proposals, he concludes: "There are no options for me in the east end." The proposed new wards split communities, some cut out Cumberland and combine its rural area with Osgoode's. #ottcity

Coun. McKenney says council should think of this ward boundary change from a city-wide perspective, not what it means for them individually.

You can't hollow out inside the Greenbelt, McKenney says. #ottcity

(Some proposals take a ward from inside and move it outside)

Mayor Watson has had #ottcity lawyer Tim Marc weigh in a couple of times to say that ADDING a sixth option (rather than taking one away, for instance) does not put the City at future risk of appeal.

"What harm is it to see another option on the table?" asks Eli El-Chantiry, who will support the mayor's motion.

Coun. Dudas expressed a similar perspective. She felt having a sixth ward boundary option would be even more democratic.

#ottcity

The consultants are on the call. Gary Davidson says it will be challenging, but if directed, they can come up with a sixth ward boundary option in time for the second round of consultation.

#ottcity

"At the end of the day, there's no skin off my nose because the boundaries for the city don't change," says Watson. I've never had anyone ask for more politicians, he says.

#ottcity

Shawn Menard wanted to amend Watson's motion and ask the consultants for a sixth option, but not limit them to keeping council at 23 ward seats. He lost 13 to 8. #ottcity #ottnews

VOTE: Mayor's motion to ask consultants to come up with a 6th option for redrawing the ward boundaries passes 13 to 8. #ottnews #ottcity

BG: cbc.ca/news/canada/ot… and
cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

Council OKs St. Mary Coptic Orthodox's expanded community centre, which involves tearing down 3 houses it owns in Trend-Arlington for parking.

Their councillor, Keith Egli, hoped to overturn the decision from planning committee, but failed. Vote was 12 to 9.

#ottnews #ottcity

Council approves a motion by Kavanagh, with Brockington about urging upper levels of government to help return child care to full capacity in the fall. #ottcity

Council approves naming the new Harmer bridge over the 417 for former mayor Jackie Holzman, who happens to have recently moved to #Kitchissippi ward. #ottcity

Council also approves renaming Berrigan Park in #Barrhaven for "Treehouse Mike". #ottcity

Coun. Harder has been speaking with OCDSB execs about ways to make it easier to get kids back to school amid physical distancing. She has a motion re. temporary-use zoning for schools. E.g. repurposing empty buildings? More space for portables? #ottcity #ottnews

Fleury's motion now, asking ByWard Market right-of-way patios close by midnight until October 31.

As @hill_johnstone wrote today, bars do NOT like that idea.
cbc.ca/news/canada/ot… #ottcity #ottnews

Forty minutes from the 12-hour meeting mark. Just saying.

And... the "goodbye" music plays before Dudas has even finished the adjournment motion.