Madawaska Valley Township’s first Integrity Commissioner, Jack Rosien, has commenced legal proceedings against the Township for breach of contract, The Current has learned. According to documents filed recently in the Superior Court of Justice at Pembroke, Rosien is claiming his contract with the Township was wrongfully terminated because the Township gave him notice after his contract had been automatically renewed.
Rosien claims the sum of $9,390 as compensation, the same amount of fees he received during the first year of his contract. He also claims $5,000 for “punitive, exemplary and aggravated damages” for the “callous, arbitrary, reprehensible manner” in which he says he was treated.
The Township has filed a Defence through its solicitors, Templeman of Belleville, which denies that it breached the contract and states that it was entitled to replace Rosien “so it could engage a new Integrity Commissioner able to offer a broader range of services than the Plaintiff could provide.”
Following notice of his termination, Rosien attended the Council meeting held on April 18 2017. He advised members that he had three ongoing investigations and recommended that, in order to avoid delay and unnecessary expense, he be permitted to complete them. Council did not have any questions and the Current has not been able to find any record in subsequent Minutes that consideration was given to Rosien’s recommendations.
His successor, Guy Giorno, was appointed by Council on June 5 2017.
Integrity Commissioners are appointed under the Municipal Act 2001 to independently investigate complaints about the conduct of councillors.
The Current has contacted both Rosien and Mayor Love seeking comments from them, but neither has responded.
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