Swift Current council approves appointment of new integrity commissioner
A former Crown prosecutor has been appointed as the new integrity commissioner for the City of Swift Current. Council members approved the appointment of Glen Herman during a regular City council meeting, March 4.
The new appointment became necessary after retired RCMP officer Harvey Lomax, who was appointed as integrity commissioner in February 2019, decided not to seek reappointment.
City Clerk Jackie Schlamp told the meeting that Herman was identified as a qualified candidate to fill this vacancy. The appointment of an integrity commissioner is required by the City’s code of ethics bylaw for members of City council and council committees.
The integrity commissioner will investigate any complaints of alleged bylaw contraventions by a council member and make a recommendation about actions to be taken to the compliance committee of council.
“A member of council or an employee of the City may report any alleged contravention of the code of ethics to the integrity commissioner,” she said. “In conducting the investigation, the integrity commissioner may interview anyone having knowledge of matters relevant to the investigation and may examine any and all relevant evidence, including any documents.”
Herman is a University of Saskatchewan graduate with degrees in commerce and law. He worked for 32 years as a Crown prosecutor, initially for seven years in Regina and then for 25 years in Swift Current.
He was appointed as regional crown prosecutor in Swift Current in 2004 and retired from the Crown office in 2016. He currently works within the RCMP City detachment and he reports to the detachment commander. Herman’s role at the RCMP City detachment is to act as a liaison with court officials, prosecutors, defence counsel and other police agencies to complete court related duties for the City and surrounding RCMP detachments.
His appointment as the City’s integrity commissioner is effective immediately and he will carry out this role until council decides otherwise.
The March 4 council meeting also gave three readings to and passed a bylaw to establish a policy for the remuneration of an integrity commissioner. The need for this bylaw was determined during the City’s review of records to ensure that bylaws and policies are up to date.
Councillor Ryan Switzer said during the second reading of the new bylaw that it will establish a policy for the fair and equitable compensation of the integrity commissioner.
“The new bylaw will ensure that the City has a uniform and transparent practice for remuneration and enhances the City’s core principles of good governance and ethical standards by adding additional support to the existing code of ethics bylaw,” he noted.
The bylaw sets out a rate of remuneration for the integrity commissioner. A fee claim sheet must be submitted to the office of the City clerk and any rate adjustments must be approved by City council.
The compensation rate for the integrity commissioner is $240 for a full day and $120 for a half day. The fee for attending a meeting is $75 and there will be a payment of $20 per hour for preparation of a report.