Cochrane's mayor engaged in workplace harassment, rules integrity commissioner
Report before council recommends Peter Politis’ salary be suspended for 90 days
Cochrane Mayor Peter Politis harassed and intimidated two managers with the town since he was re-elected to office in November 2022, according to the town's integry commissioner.
Harold Elston explains his findings in two reports currently before Cochrane town council.
Councillors are expected to vote on how to sanction Politis at their next meeting on Tuesday evening.
Elston is recommending the maximum penalty for municipal misbehaviour, which is to dock the mayor's pay for 90 days.
Pattern of micromanagement, condescending communications
The integrity commissioner reports are the result of two complaints made by the Town's Chief Administrative Officer, Monika Malherbe, and the town's former Director of Community Services, Jason Boyer.
Malherbe is currently on medical leave, while Boyer resigned to pursue challenges elsewhere.
Elston writes that workplace harassment complaints in a municipal environment must take into context the specificity of that work arrangement – with members of Council "enjoying an implied level of authority over Town staff" that can leave employees feeling vulnerable and defenseless.
In his investigation, Elston found Politis micromanaged Town business and events by involving himself in day-to-day matters.
"[There is] a clear conflation of his proper role as a public official with that of a supervisor or manager," he wrote.
Examples of this behaviour include his interference in the organisation of the town's Winter Carnival, the Farmer's Market, the opening of the beach and the water slide.
Elston described Politis' involvement in an HVAC procurement process as "particularly worrisome," with Politis using his power to rescind a contract, only to have it restored later when it was revealed to actually be the lowest bid.
"In my view, these regular intrusions, coupled with the way they were undertaken, caused the CAO to feel threatened and bullied," he wrote.
According to the reports, Politis maintains he always used a polite, professional and courteous tone in his correspondence with staff, but Elston disagrees.
"[Politis]'s style of rhetorical responses, although delivered in a polite and at times even demure tone, are nevertheless, in my view, vexatious, or difficult to deal with and causing a lot of anger, worry, or argument," wrote Elston.
" The conveyance of disappointment and judgment, or veiled threats, survive the use of even the most polite, professional and courteous language," he added.
The reports can be found online here and here.
Peter Politis has declined an interview request from the CBC, saying he is preparing to deliver a presentation to council on Tuesday night.
Some of his fellow councillors, including Sylvie Charron-Lemieux and France Bouvier, are also reserving their comments for the next town council meeting.
"That being said, I take the integrity commissioner's report very seriously," said Charron-Lemieux.
"I believe there is no room for harassment, intimidation or bullying within the Town of Cochrane's workplace or any workplace for that matter and it should not be tolerated."