Residents irritated by long, closed meeting
Police present ‘just to keep the peace’
Clarence-Rockland municipal council held a contentious incamera meeting Wednesday night that had residents irritated that little information was provided to them after a nearly two-hour wait.
About 60 residents nearly filled the council chambers at the Clarence-Rockland City Hall to hear what many believed would be an announcement related to the town’s chief administrative officer.
What they got was a long evening and few answers.
“Residents of Clarence-Rockland can be certain of one thing: I’m doing my job in a professional manner,” CAO Michel Bellemare told the Citizen.
When the councillors returned to the table, Mayor Marcel Guibord was mum on any developments related to Bellemare. He said simply that “directives were given” but provided no context as to what.
The Citizen later confirmed with Coun. Bernard Payer that the discussions centred on Bellemare but that a decision had not been made and therefore neither he, nor other councillors, could elaborate on the details of the in-camera proceedings.
Clarence-Rockland has gone through three CAOs in as many years. Bellemare is currently under fire regarding a recent tug of war with the mayor related to documents posted on the city’s website.
The city council attracted lots of local attention when an OPP investigation was opened into the actions of the mayor and some councillors in the alleged ousting of a former CAO.
Attention mounted as the councillors — and their constituents — became increasingly divided between the minority “old guard” in favour of Clarence-Rockland’s previous mayor, and those behind Guibord.
Wednesday’s meeting was evidence of a council turned lion’s den: two undercover provincial police officers attended the proceedings “just to keep the peace,” said Const. Roy Stephane.
Their attendance is a recent, albeit irregular, occurrence.
Residents were split in the room, with supporters of the current mayor along the eastern wall and the more populous dissenters on the other.
As the in-camera session dragged on, the residents grew restless, finally erupting in song and raucous clapping to try to encourage the councillors to exit.
The disruptions continued during the council session itself, as residents heckled the mayor with comments related to everyday agenda items.
But to no avail. ClarenceRockland residents, and their city’s CAO, will have to wait for the next development for this embattled municipal council.