Cambridge approves $25 fee to file complaints

CAMBRIDGE — Politicians have decided a $25 fee to file complaints is a sufficient way to ensure they are made in good faith.

The approved fee is a big drop from Coun. Frank Monteiro’s first proposal of a $100 fee to file complaints with the integrity commissioner.

“I think we shouldn’t be putting up barriers beyond $25,” Mayor Doug Craig said at a council meeting Tuesday.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, residents could file complaints with the city’s appointed integrity commissioner free of charge.

The commissioner’s job is to investigate possible breaches of council’s code of conduct.

But Monteiro thought the city needed a safeguard from complaints that could be frivolous or vexatious. That is why he introduced the idea of a fee to deter such complaints.

He suggested the fees be turned over to the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank if complaints are found to be frivolous. If not, you get your money back.

“This $100 is not a lot of money and it will make people think,” he said. “It’s just to stop this nonsense of complaining for the sake of complaining.”

Monteiro was recently the subject of an investigation that cost the city $7,395.

A resident complained about his comments in a local radio interview regarding the multiplex task force last year and ac- cused him of smearing a fellow councillor.

Instead of penalizing Monteiro by asking him to write the fellow councillor an apology letter like the report suggested, council dismissed the report entirely.

While most around the council table agreed that $100 is too high, not everyone was on board with the lower fee.

“I think $100 is not exorbitant in the sense that it is a very serious matter which costs the city a great deal of money,” Coun. Pam Wolf said.

This complaint process is relatively new for Cambridge where politicians did not have a code of conduct or integrity commissioner until last year.

Despite its newness, the city has already racked up eight complaints totalling $9,000 in fees, not including Monteiro’s recently completed investigation.

According to a staff report, only four other municipalities out of 20 charge fees to file complaints. Three of them charge $25 while Hamilton charges $100.

Cambridge also has the fourth highest number of requests to investigate complaints. Ottawa has the most at 31.

“There are a lot of people struggling, there really are,” Coun. Nicholas Ermeta said. He said he understands complaints can be frivolous or vexatious, but people should have the opportunity to present their case.

“That’s part of democracy.”