Item - 2019.CC9.6
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on July 16, 2019 with amendments.
CC9.6 - Council direction regarding payment of legal fees related to a Code of Conduct Investigation
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on July 16, 17 and 18, 2019 adopted the following:
1. City Council direct that no further legal costs be covered for the former Councillor related to this matter.
2. City Council request the City Clerk to report to City Council on the appropriateness of the $20,000 legal fee limit and on the possibility of a mechanism which enables Members of Council seeking reimbursement of fees over the limit to obtain pre-approval from Council once there is a prospect of high fees.
Background Information (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-135721.pdf
Attachment 1 - Letter dated June 27, 2019 from Gardiner Roberts re: Claim for Reimbursement of Legal Fees
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-135722.pdf
Motions (City Council)
That City Council direct that no further legal costs be covered for the former Councillor related to this matter.
Vote (Amend Item) Jul-18-2019 5:48 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - CC9.6 - Filion - motion 1 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 14 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, John Filion, Cynthia Lai, Mike Layton, Jennifer McKelvie, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, John Tory |
| Total members that voted No: 5 | Members that voted No are Mark Grimes, Stephen Holyday, Jim Karygiannis, Josh Matlow, Anthony Perruzza |
| Total members that were Absent: 7 | Members that were absent are Brad Bradford, Mike Colle, Paula Fletcher, Michael Ford, James Pasternak, Michael Thompson, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
That City Council request the City Clerk to report to City Council on the appropriateness of the $20,000 legal fee limit and on the possibility of a mechanism which enables Members of Council seeking reimbursement of fees over the limit to obtain pre-approval from Council once there is a prospect of high fees.
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Jul-18-2019 5:49 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - CC9.6 - Holyday - motion 2a |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 16 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, Mark Grimes, Stephen Holyday, Jim Karygiannis, Cynthia Lai, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, John Tory |
| Total members that voted No: 3 | Members that voted No are Shelley Carroll, John Filion, Gord Perks |
| Total members that were Absent: 7 | Members that were absent are Brad Bradford, Mike Colle, Paula Fletcher, Michael Ford, James Pasternak, Michael Thompson, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
That City Council authorize the payment of legal fees above the $20,000 limit in the amount of $25,269.24, as outlined in the letter (June 27, 2019) from Gardiner Roberts and City Council direct that no further invoices related to this matter be reimbursed.
That Councillor Holyday be permitted to withdraw his motion 2b.
Councillor Carroll, rising on a Point of Order, stated that it is absolutely crucial that Council knows what it's voting on. Councillor Carroll further stated that some in Council believe they are voting on a total of twenty-five thousand dollars, and some in Council believe that they are voting on a total of forty-five thousand dollars, and that must be clarified before Council votes.
Councillor Holyday, rising on a Point of Order, asked if the matter could be deferred, as the amount of forty-five thousand dollars is different from what he reads in the motion.
Mayor Tory, rising on a Point of Order, stated that his comments were based on the same understanding as Councillor Holyday's.