Sarnia's mayor is urging everyone to be respectful when in-person meetings resume on Monday.
Mike Bradley is welcoming the ability to exchange ideas and discuss issues person-to-person again.
"The majority of council did not want to go to ZOOM again after three years of doing it through COVID, but events brought that about because of concern from staff, from council, from the public about their safety in the council chambers," said Bradley. "At the same time, there's been a review of the emergency plan as it relates to this building, to ensure that all proper steps are in place if there's a need for the chamber to be evacuated."
Bradley hopes the return to in-person meetings sticks for the rest of this term.
"Hopefully this will go well, and my message will be the same one the integrity commissioner had to council a couple of terms ago. It really comes down to this in the council chambers, respect, respect, respect," he said. "If that is followed, than these meetings should get back to being where they should be, where we are debating the issues of the city and moving the city forward."
The group returned to virtual meetings in May, 2024 because of concerns raised about health and safety in the workplace.
While Bradley didn't disclose details at the time, councillor Bill Dennis shared that he had been named in a workplace harassment complaint.
In November, Dennis was expelled from budget deliberations following a profanity-laced tirade.
Dennis provided a written apology in December and Bradley allowed him to be included in the last virtual meeting of 2024, but the mayor warned there would be zero tolerance for inappropriate comments moving forward.
This January, an independent investigation found Dennis contravened the city’s Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy and Program and he was barred from attending in-person meetings once reinstated.
Dennis asked council to reconsider the restriction in April, but the group upheld its decision after receiving legal advice and said he would have to continue virtual participation.
Monday's regular meeting in council chambers at city hall starts at 1 p.m.
