THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - A reprimanded town councillor in Fort Smith has issued an apology, but not the kind her fellow councillors had demanded.

Brenda Johnson: councillor's apology not quite what council was expecting. -

Council wanted Brenda Johnson to apologize for revealing confidential information from an in-camera meeting about the firing of the town's former senior administrative officer and questionable payments made to him.

Instead, Johnson released a defiant, written statement last week apologizing to town residents for council's actions.

"I wish to apologize to the citizens of Fort Smith," she wrote. "The conduct of our municipal government has deteriorated to the point that going public with my concerns over the highly questionable practices was the only option I was left with."

She also apologized for what she called the municipality's lack of accountability, responsibility and transparency.

"I apologize that as elected officials we, the mayor and council, have let you down," she wrote.

Roy Scott, who is now working in B.C., was suspended as senior administrative officer in March and dismissed in May after 16 years in the position.

At an Aug. 25 meeting, council passed a motion to discipline Johnson for revealing the confidential information in a media interview.

Mayor Peter Martselos said he was disappointed with Johnson's response, adding council was very clear in its request for an apology.

Martselos also objected to Johnson's criticism of council.

"It's not true," he said. "Myself and council work hard all the time on integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability."

The council motion stated that, if Johnson didn't apologize, she would be asked to resign.

Council also voted that Johnson should not take part in future in-camera meetings.

Martselos said, if Johnson doesn't meet the conditions of the reprimand, the council committee that recommended the reprimand will have to decide on the next steps.

Johnson was not at the meeting at which she was reprimanded because she was on a Canadian Rangers exercise.

She initially brought information to the attention of council that led to Scott's dismissal.

In her statement last week, she praised the "dedicated, hardworking and principled" members of town staff who provided her with information, and apologized for any discomfort and anxiety that may have been caused by the information being released.

"I have never disclosed to anyone how many of you came forward or who you are," she wrote. "Please know that you have done the right thing."

Johnson said the staff members' actions have been instrumental in getting the mayor and council to run affairs as they should.

"Your actions have brought to light how far the mayor and council have strayed from the principles of good governance, and created the circumstance that is resulting in once again keeping good governance at the forefront of what we as elected officials are sworn to uphold," she wrote.

Johnson declined further comment when contacted by News/North.

At its Aug. 25 meeting, council decided to proceed with a forensic audit as a result of the controversy over Scott's dismissal, and Martselos hopes it will be completed by the end of September.

The audit will look at the period from January 2000 to December 2008.

Martselos said the forensic audit will provide information to the community, adding a public meeting will likely be held after it is completed.

Information in an accountant's preliminary investigation - leaked to The Slave River Journal - detailed many unusual payments to Scott since 2000, including three severance cheques totalling $240,000, bonus cheques of $20,641.75 and $140,000, $52,842 for education leave that was never taken, and a number of other smaller payments.

At least one member of council, including the mayor, signed the cheques.

Martselos said he and council can't disclose information about the situation because of legal concerns.

"We'd all like to speak about the issues," he said.

Instead, he said council is working towards a resolution so the matter doesn't end up in court and result in an unnecessary expense for taxpayers.

Martselos said the payments to Scott were made according to his contract.