The acting Ontario Ombudsman has cleared Owen Sound Council of any wrong doing after investigating several complaints.
The office was asked to investigate a closed door meeting of council on April 27 of this year, when it received a complaint that council illegally talked about the council practice of beginning each meeting with a faith blessing.
The complaint also alleged councillors gathered at a local restaurant following their regular meetings May 25 and June 15 of this year, and that those gatherings were illegal closed meetings.
Acting Ombudsman Barb Finlay says the social gatherings did not contravene the open meeting requirements as they were held in public restaurants, and no council business was discussed.
Finlay also found Owen Sound Council did not contravene the Municipal Act by going in camera to receive legal advice on the faith blessing. However, council did fail to provide accurate notice of where that meeting would be.
