Nine Integrity Commissioner investigations and two workplace harassment complaints have cost Niagara Falls taxpayers more than $273-thousand dollars since 2016.
A report on Tuesday's council agenda was requested at a meeting in June after Councillor Carolynn Ioanonni was found to have breached the city's code of conduct following an investigation into statements she made during a radio interview last summer.
7 of the 9 conduct complaints involve Councillor Ioanonni as either the respondent (four times) or the complainant (three times) and in all the cases surround conduct between the Councillor and either other Council members, the Council, as a whole or City staff, notably C.A.O, Ken Todd, who in 2016 was alleged to have uttered that Ioannoni was “such a bitch” during a Council meeting.
The two code of conduct complaints filed by citizens were against Mayor Jim Diodati and Councillor Wayne Campbell.
The latest Integrity Commissioner complaint brought by Todd, against Ioannoni, finds the Councillor violated the City’s Code of Conduct by claiming Todd lied and manipulated Council process surrounding the FedDev application related to the Ryerson-Niagara Falls Innovation Zone.
The Integrity Commissioner is recommending the full penalty possible under the Municipal Act of 90 days without pay.
"It's better for them (Council) to be able to publicly vilify me, take my pay, try to humiliate me and make the public think i'm a collosal waste of time and money, and that's how they like to play this out rather than go behind closed doors and work this out amicably " said Ioannoni.
Council has also requested the province review penalties for repeat offenders, like Ioannoni.