By Laurie Watt

Barrie council began 2008 dealing with old business – asking Mayor Dave Aspden when and if he was willing to explain his last-minute guilty plea in an Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (OCCPS) hearing in December.

“Some time has now passed since the first questions about the OCCPS agreement was made,” said Ward 7 Coun. John Brassard. “Has something caused you to pause and rethink your position about being accountable? There have been numerous letters and questions about your ability to carry on as mayor.”

Brassard added city council should be held to a higher standard of conduct, and as the head of council, the mayor should take a leading role in being respectful, accountable and transparent.

“There is some suggestion you’re not fulfilling your responsibility to be accountable,” he said, as he asked Aspden – who admit he broke the Code of Conduct in the Police Services Act when he wrote a letter asking a disciplinary hearing to go easy on an officer found guilty of discreditable conduct.

Aspden wrote the letter last January, just two days after he was elected police board chairperson, and he did so on Mayor’s Office letterhead, despite the fact there was an outstanding civil suit against the police board and the city.

In responding to council’s continuing demands for answers, Aspden repeated what he told council on Dec. 17. “I will not discuss or debate the issue. You have a note from the city solicitor who says it’s a client-solicitor manner, and that’s from our solicitor, not mine.”

The issue of Aspden’s not answering council’s queries will remain on council’s pending list, which prompts the city clerk to inquire each week whether the mayor will speak to council, until either Aspden answers or council removes the item by passing a motion to that effect.

Council is to discuss the city lawyer’s letter regarding the matter in private. If there is any resolution, council could opt to make the decision public.