A Sarnia city councillor has been banned from city hall, except in limited circumstances, and won't be able to attend in-person meetings once they're reinstated.
The city said an independent investigation has found Bill Dennis contravened the city’s Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy and Program.
According to the third party, Dennis "breached the workplace harassment and discrimination provisions of the City of Sarnia’s Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy and Program and applicable laws with respect to his conduct toward City staff."
It said the measures being implemented are being done to ensure the safety of city staff.
Councillor Dennis was booted from budget deliberations in late November, after going on a vulgar rant.
At the time, he lost his composure after he proposed a motion to reduce consultant fees by 50 per cent in 2025, and CAO Chris Carter was responding to the question.
Dennis offered a written apology at the December meeting, and Mayor Mike Bradley warned they were "now moving into a zero tolerance world."
Dennis, who is also a member of Lambton County Council, filed a $200,000 lawsuit against Carter, claiming the CAO is trying to "render him ineffective."
While Dennis will not be allowed to attend in-person council meetings, he can participate virtually.
In a letter Dennis sent to Sarnia News today, it states his email communication to staff members is prohibited and will be blocked.
Any written or email correspondence of any kind must be directed to two designated individuals. The councillor is also not to contact or engage with the CAO in person or virtually without the attendance of another councillor.
In a post to Facebook, Dennis called the decision "an absolute sham."
"My left wing political opponents are trying to tip the scales and do everything they can to silence me. When a broken system tells you that you are wrong, you know that you are on the right side,” he wrote. “I’m a change agent and I’m a threat to them. So they are doing everything they can to stop me."