Councillor seeks better bylaw complaint review
Motion fails as majority of council says system already exists
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Thursday, April 16, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A councillor says there needs to be a better system to handle public complaints about the city's municipal enforcement division.
Coun. Phil Moon Son's motion to have the city investigate how other municipalities handle complaints about their bylaw enforcement department failed Monday night at council. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo
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Coun. Phil Moon Son moved a motion Monday at council to have city staff research better ways of dealing with complaint reviews by looking at what other municipalities in Canada do.
"I'm not necessarily criticizing the complaints process," Moon Son said.
"I'm looking for ways that we can improve it."
In an interview prior to the council meeting, he said a complaint made to the city caused him enough concern to want a better system to review issues brought forward.
He would not elaborate on the nature of the complaint. Moon Son said it was not tied to the video-recorded arrest posted to social media of Gary Jaeb for not wearing a seat belt in September. Charges of assaulting a peace officer and obstruction of justice in that case were stayed by a judge in late November.
While Moon Son said the mayor told him there once was a committee-type organization that reviewed complaints, it was disbanded several years ago because it wasn't meeting on a regular basis.
Coun. Cory Vanthuyne questioned the need for the motion, saying there are already avenues for complaints.
If a member of the public has a complaint, it can be brought to municipal enforcement supervisors, the public safety department director, or the mayor.
"I just think that the current system right now is too ambiguous," Moon Son told Yellowknifer, adding that something needs to change to restore confidence in municipal enforcement.
He says he'd like public reports about any complaints filed.
"I think there is enough concerns from council and the general public that an independent body reviews the complaints or concerns coming forward," Moon Son said.
Coun. Adrian Bell said while he liked the idea of the motion, he didn't want to add more work for staff as they are still in the process of working through the recommendations for changes following an in-depth review of the municipal enforcement division.
The motion failed as councillors Niels Konge, Linda Bussey, Vanthuyne and Bell voted against it while councillors Moon Son, Dan Wong and Bob Brooks voted in favour.
