Councillor Terry Whitehead says he wants to head to court over allegations he bullies staff

Hamilton councillor Terry Whitehead says he wants a court to review a report that led to his peers voting to dock him a month of pay and restrict whichstaffers he can talk to about city business.

Whitehead, who represents Ward 14 (west Mountain), issued a brief statement Wednesday evening,after city council voted on a damning integrity commissioner report that says he bullied staff. Council not only accepted the report, but voted unanimously to withhold a month of pay and limit Whitehead's communication to top-levelmanagers and his own staff.

In thestatement, Whitehead maintained that at a2020meeting in question, he was asking city staff"tough questions on behalf of Hamilton residents."City staff ignored council's direction when it came to how traffic is configured on Aberdeen Avenue, he said. Council hadvotedin June 2019 to make safety changes to the Ward 1 street.

"Upon my return to council, after a lengthy medical battle, I was greeted with a report from the city's integrity commissioner. Iam challenging this report, exploring options and will consider taking this matter to a judicial review," he said.

The integrity commissioner report, done by Principles Integrity, dates back to themeeting on September2020.

At the meeting, Whitehead asked a series of antagonistic questions to a city roads official. John-Paul Danko (Ward 8, west Mountain), who was chairing the meeting,tried to stop it and eventually ejected Whitehead from the meeting.

At this week's council meeting on Wednesday, Coun. Brad Clark (Ward 9, upper Stoney Creek) referenced hearing about a half dozen other times when Whitehead had leaned on managers to try to get them to change their adviceon issues.

Coun. Judi Partridge (Ward 15, Flamborough/Waterdown), said council has"enabled the behaviour over the years, particularly this term," and "we have to put a stop to it."

Whitehead isn't the first city councillor to object to an integrity commissioner report. Sam Merulla (Ward 4, east end) objected after Principles Integrity recommended the city withhold pay aftera tense interaction Merullahad with an out-of-towngym equipment company.

The motion council approved:

1. That Coun.Whiteheadbe restricted in his communications with city staff, outside of his own office staff, to communicating only with the city manager, general managers or designate; city solicitor and city clerk for the remainder of the 2018 2022 council term;

2. That Coun.Whiteheadbe obliged, during council and committee meetings, to confine his questions of staff by directing his questions to the mayor or chair and not directly addressing staff for the remainder of the 2018 2022 council term; and

3. That Coun.Whiteheadbe relieved of his responsibilities as chair and vice-chair of committees of council and local boards for the remainder of the 2018 2022 council term.