Norfolk County council calls for outside help after a year of conflict

Norfolk County council says it needs outside help to get along after a year of what some describe as threats, bullying, intimidation and relationships so fractured councillors can't even chat in the lunch room anymore.

Councillors voted unanimously on Tuesday to get a third-party consultant to work with the nine-member group, most of whom are in their first term.

Relationships have badly deteriorated, Coun. Amy Martin of Port Dover said at the meeting, and she won't ignore it anymore. Information is being shared only with some council members, she said, and councillors aren't told what's happening in their wards.

"How are we supposed to bridge the gap in our community county-wide when we can't even share a meal in the lunch room?" she said.

"There is an adversarial tone to each and every one of our council meetings … There is a team that is barely holding on by a thread."

Coun. Kim Huffman of Waterford said the dynamic "does not bode well for us running a multi-million dollar corporation."

"The climate in the community is at a point where I think they've had enough," she said. "I know I certainly have had enough."

As for what's causing the friction, it depends on who's doing the analysis.

In her comments, Martin blamed much of the issue on Mayor Kristal Chopp, a one-time ally who has increasingly been at odds with Martin. When Martin wanted to add "council relations" to the agenda Tuesday, Chopp stripped Martin of her deputy mayor title, which was due to expire on Dec. 1. Then Chopp left the meeting and didn't come back.

In the earlier days of council, Martin said, "I didn't know what I didn't know. But now I do know, and it is up to all of us to speak up and do something about the way we are running this corporation."

Chopp, meanwhile, says she has good relationships with staff and councillors, and is proud of what council has achieved. Council members disagree sometimes, she says, but it's not personal. 

The problem, she says, lies with sensitive information being leaked from in-camera council discussions.

"Not one, not two, but three extremely serious violations of distributing closed session information have now occurred," she said in an email Thursday. "The damage this is doing to our senior level staff, in particular, our CAO and medical officer of health, can not be understated.

"Council, it seems, has no appetite to investigate to determine who on council is leaking this information. Isn't it awfully convenient to turn the conversation and point fingers — a best defence is a good offence? I'll feel a lot better when council steps up to vote to investigate ourselves."

As for the animosity with Martin, Chopp said the two "not long ago were sitting on a beach together in Hawaii. I thought we exemplified two women working together – the polar opposite of how nasty women can be to one another. 

"I work with many of the councillors and have good relationships with them. Occasionally we disagree, like many at council should. I am direct and to the point. I work as an airline pilot. We are taught to do our job regardless of whether or not there are personality conflicts."

Coun. Mike Columbus of Delhi, a long-time council member, disputed that relationships are good.

During the meeting Tuesday, he told council that he's been "subjected to belittlements, accusations and threats by the mayor." He also referenced Chopp pulling him aside, and "chastising" him during an in-camera session. 

Others said there's plenty of blame to go around. Coun. Ian Rabbitts of Simcoe, a human resources professional, suggested training or mediation for everyone. 

Coun. Tom Masschaele, who represents the Port Rowan area, agreed that everyone has played a role.

"I don't want to pretend we can heap all of the difficulties we've had on any one individual," he said. "I don't think that's fair and I don't think that's accurate."

"I always believe there's hope for everybody to get back together and become an effective team."