Renfrew council calls on mayor to resign, removes him from committees

Renfrew Mayor Tom Sidney is facing calls to resign from the town's top political position, two months after council voted non-confidence in the mayor.

Coun. Kyle Cybulski introduced a motion at Tuesday's Town of Renfrew council meeting, calling on Mayor Sidney to "resign immediately." It passed by a vote of 5-1, with Reeve Peter Emon the lone vote in opposition.

In January, members voted 4-3 in favour of a non-confidence motion against Sidney, expressing concerns over the mayor's handling of the expansion to Renfrew's Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre, now known as the myFM Centre.  The price tag for the expansion has jumped from $18 million to $35 million.

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Before being elected mayor, Sidney spearheaded the expansion project for the Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre as chair of the recreation committee.

Sidney vowed to stay on the job after the non-confidence vote, prompting Cybulski to introduce the motion calling on the mayor to resign.

"Renfrew Town Council call on Mayor Tim Sidney to resign immediately as a way for the Town to move forward and for accountability for the lack of oversight and leadership," Cybulski's motion says.

The motion calling on Sidney to resign came just days after the Town of Renfrew received the findings of a third-party review of the Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre expansion project.

The report from WSCS Consulting says there was a lack of accountability and transparency with the project, a failure to comply with the procedural bylaw, a lack of governance/oversight, "inadequate" financial and project reporting, a toxic work environment, and unrealistic budgets. The report also says there is "ample evidence that suggests" the Parks and Recreation Department engaged in sole/direct source contracts and "questionable tendering incentive practices."

Council directed staff to seek legal advice pertaining to the findings of the review and potential recourse to address matters in the report, according to a media release last week.

Coun. John McDonald also introduced a motion at the meeting to remove the mayor from all remaining committees, working groups and external boards, effective immediately. It also passed 5-1, with Emon voting against. Chief Administrative Officer Rob Tremblay says this means Sidney will be removed from the Renfrew Public Library Board and the internal staff engagement team. His statutory duties under the Municipal Act, including chairing council meetings and representing the municipality, will continue as long as he remains the mayor.

A separate motion recommended Reeve Peter Emon be removed from all committees, working groups, and external boards, noting Emon was a member of the Ma-Te-Way Expansion Project's ad hoc committee. It also passed by a vote of 5-1, with Sidney voting against. Emon will remain on all County of Renfrew associated bodies.