Enterprise (Sep 11/06) - A member of the Enterprise Settlement Council has been barred from attending meetings for leaking information to residents.

On Aug. 16, council suspended Karl Mueller for eight regular meetings, plus any special meetings.

Councillor Karl Mueller has been suspended from Enterprise Settlement - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

The settlement council usually meets twice a month, meaning the suspension will last until Mueller's seat on council opens for election in December. He does plan to seek re-election.

"Council felt there was a breach of confidentiality by Mr. Mueller," said Mayor Winnie Cadieux.

The mayor explained Mueller divulged information from an Aug. 2 in-camera meeting on hiring a new senior administrative officer (SAO). "He did it in writing and sent it to members of the community."

Mueller sent a letter to other councillors and about 20 residents outlining his concerns about the hiring process.

However, he doesn't think he did anything wrong.

"Because we're talking here about a public job, the public should know what's going on," he said, adding his letter contained no confidential information.

Mueller also said the meeting was not in-camera. "It was an interview meeting," he said.

The councillors were conducting telephone interviews of four candidates for the vacant SAO position.

In his letter, Mueller wrote that council might bring back a former interim SAO, and briefly discussed where the unnamed job candidates are currently living and the cost of moving them to Enterprise.

In addition, the letter supported the hiring of an Enterprise resident, who had submitted a resume but was not selected for an interview.

That person is the son of Mueller's common-law wife, but the councillor denied he is in a conflict of interest.

"I'm promoting a qualified person," he said.

Cadieux said council has offered the SAO position to a candidate, whom she declined to name.

Mueller questioned whether council has the legal power to suspend an elected official.

However, council received a legal opinion on the matter. Its action was based on its policy of strict confidentiality involving interviews and its code of conduct for councillors.

Despite his suspension, Mueller attended the Aug. 28 meeting of council and sat at the council table.

The meeting proceeded with him just listening, but not saying anything, he said, adding he was not asked to leave. However, when other councillors discussed the SAO position, they moved to another room.

Mueller said he also plans to attend the next council meeting on Sept. 14.

The councillor added his lawyer will be writing the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and Enterprise to object to the suspension, although no legal action has been taken.

"I don't think that will be necessary," he said.