A lawyer for two Stratford residents banned from city property has appealed the three-month ban, adding that his clients do not recognize the suspension of their rights.
David Donnelly, legal counsel for Mike Sullivan and Barb Shaughnessy, said the ban does not conform to the City of Stratford’s respectful workplace policy, which was referenced in the ban from all city property.
The city provided the lawyer and the accused residents with a list of behaviours found to be “disrespectful, derogatory, inappropriate, misleading and vexatious”.
But in a letter to the city referenced in a media release sent this week, the lawyer notes that the city has not revealed any of the allegations, instead, it is “relying on suspicious, anonymous complaints.”
It is alleged offensive statements were made at a Feb. 26 city council meeting and numerous derogatory and misleading comments were made against senior city staff, and that the statements were in violation of the city’s respectful workplace policy.
City CEO Joan Thomson told MyStratfordNow that “complaints were made about individuals whose behaviour at that meeting were seen to be disrespectful, derogatory and inappropriate.”
The city received five incident reports from city staff as well as three reports from three individuals at the Feb. 26 meeting, alleging bullying, harassing and threatening behaviour.
Thompson said that while suspended, the individuals can participate and comment on city business. Communications with city staff during the suspension period are to be sent to the city solicitor, who then forwards to the appropriate staff person.
Sullivan told MyStratfordNow on Wednesday that he is still seeking clarification on what exactly the two residents did to warrant a suspension.
The city council meeting in question is available to watch on the City of Stratford website.
“There is no question we were critical of the city, absolutely,” Sullivan said. “But to take that as being somehow bullying of staff, there was just none of that and if you look at the video you can see there was just none of that there.”
Donnelly has asked the Mayor and CAO to withdraw their allegations and apologize.
