Coun. Lillian Szpak’s attempt to start crafting a code of conduct for Langford council — something every municipality is being encouraged to do under provincial legislation — was shot down in flames this week.
At least for now.
A proposed amendment to the Local Government Act would require local governments to consider developing or updating codes of conduct, which cover everything from conflicts of interest to ensuring more respectful debates around the council table and at public meetings.
But Szpak’s motion, supported by Coun. Denise Blackwell, got a rough reception from Mayor Stew Young, who accused Szpak of pursuing a “personal agenda,” saying council doesn’t need a “knee-jerk reaction from a councillor that we all need a code of conduct — but not her.”
The gloves came off quickly as discussion of Szpak’s motion unfolded late in Monday’s meeting.
Young and Coun. Lanny Seaton have often locked horns with Szpak on a range of issues.
The code of conduct motion stems from a sparky exchange between Seaton and Szpak during a Jan. 10 council meeting in which Seaton accused Szpak of being in a conflict of interest during a tree bylaw discussion. Seaton argued a family member of Szpak’s and part of a Facebook group called Langford Voters for Change was pushing for tree protections on social media.
Seaton also accused Szpak of leaking in-camera information to the media about his daughter being appointed to a Langford city board in 2017.
“If we need a code of conduct here, it’s for her,” Seaton said Monday, referring to Szpak.
And the pile-on continued.
Young told Szpak there is no need to immediately draft a code of conduct motion.
“Everyone has to get along and not have outbursts like you did and called Lanny [Seaton] old and senile … in that meeting when you said he was losing his memory,” said Young.
That was enough for Szpak. “I’ve never used those words — and you are now out of line. It’s complete nonsense, what you’re saying. I need to say that on the record,” she said.
Young continued to harangue Szpak.
“It’s not fair for the rest of council who get along really good … to have one person say you’ve talked about my daughter so I’m going to bring a code of conduct in — that’s exactly how it happened,” said Young.
Young told the meeting, which was streamed online, that residents need to know “this is not how council is acting. We all get along. The only one who isn’t is Lillian. She’s bringing all these motions forward because her daughter puts it on the internet and then [Szpak] brings it forward.”
Szpak responded: “It’s highly inappropriate the way you’re conducting yourself right now … and I say that with all due respect.”
Young interjected: “No, you don’t say it in respect.”
Szpak tried several times to talk about the need for a code of conduct.
“This isn’t coming out of hearsay, he-said, she-said,” said Szpak. “It’s timely we do [a code of conduct] now. Langford is always ahead of the curve. This is something we can be proud of. Adopt it now instead of getting into negative rhetoric and storytelling and to dispute the value of having it.”
Blackwell agreed, saying “we’re delaying the inevitable … we’re going to have to do it anyway … it doesn’t hurt anything.”
The motion was defeated and a new one put fourth by Coun. Roger Wade that council await provincial guidelines for codes of conduct and then have staff prepare a report with recommendations specific to the city, likely sometime in the new year.
Wade said he didn’t agree with the timing of Szpak’s motion. “Council has been getting along and been professional in my time,” he said. “We don’t need to fix something that’s not broken.”
Young had a parting shot for Szpak, saying the motion would only take up more valuable time for staff, especially during the pandemic.
Young, who has been Langford’s mayor for 30 years, admitted he can be abrupt with some speakers at public hearings and with his fellow councillors, but said “at the end of the day, my job is to make decisions.”
“If someone in the public says something unfortunate about staff or council, I will correct them — that is what my role is here,” said Young. “I may raise my voice. I may do this. I may do that. Other councillors may interrupt me when they shouldn’t be … this is all about dialogue in a proper democracy.”
A post by Jacquline Gintaut on Langford Voters for Change said: “Council code of conduct fails thanks to Young … who aptly demonstrated exactly why one is needed.”
A statement from the province said that under proposed amendments to the Local Government Act, all municipal and regional district boards will have to consider developing codes of conduct for their council or board members.
The statement said the approach was supported by a special resolution endorsed at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention in September.
