Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley (BlackburnNews.com file photo by Melanie Irwin)Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley (BlackburnNews.com file photo by Melanie Irwin)
Sarnia

Mayor Says Commissioner's Report, Incomplete, Biased

Mayor Mike Bradley is firing back in the wake of a damning report by Integrity Commissioner Robert Swayze.

"Like anyone in life I have made my share of mistakes and if I have offended anyone when conducting city business on behalf of the citizens of Sarnia, I am sorry," he says in a letter to Swayze.

"I am proud of my record of achievements along with the respect for my personal integrity and commitment and love for the city that has been supported by the public through nine elections.

"Every issue raised in this complaint is about the city itself and my efforts every day, working with the community, to make it a better place. There is no personal benefit to me identified in any of these complaints—it is always about the City of Sarnia and my role as mayor."

Speaking shortly after with CHOK News, Bradley called the report incomplete and biased, saying at least 20 key people were not interviewed.

"I asked him on two occasions in March and as recently as this past week, to talk to the former city manager Lloyd Fennell, to talk to the present police chief, to talk to the two people that work in the mayor's office and to a number of other people that left the city because of concerns about the city administration," says Bradley. "He refused to do that. So, it was not a thorough investigation, nor was it fair and that is what really is disappointing.

"I brought forward the integrity commissioner program on the basis of fairness and natural justice. At no point was this natural justice. He cherry-picked who he wanted to interview to reach the conclusion he had already reached when he started the investigation," says Bradley.

Bradley also disputes the commissioner's statement that the mayor should not be involved in the day-to-day operations at city hall, saying every taxpayer in Ontario should be scared for their tax dollars after his conclusions.

He says his predecessors, mayors' Brandt, Gordon and Saddy have all performed their duties as watchdogs for the taxpayer as they were elected to do.

"This matter is going to cost the city of Sarnia taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars and all council had to do, and the city manager, was to sit down and meet and discuss this issue," says Bradley. "They refused to do that.

"This is a political-driven witch hunt by a number of members of council and I would suggest some others. I accept that. That's politics right?."

A defiant Bradley says the report has renewed his desire to run in the next municipal election in the fall of 2018 to "right the wrongs he sees at city hall."

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