Municipal officials are distancing themselves from an ongoing dispute between Integrity Commissioner Paul Watson and a former councillor. 
Derek Robertson has called for Watson to be fired for his handling of an investigation into allegations of breach of council code of conduct.
Chatham-Kent’s Chief Legal Officer, John Norton, says it will likely be several weeks before a final report is submitted for council consideration.
“Municipal councils are required to appoint an Integrity Commissioner who is responsible for performing, in an independent manner, investigations into alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct,” Norton says. “The Integrity Commissioner does not report to, and is not accountable to, any member of the municipal staff.”
Watson was appointed to the role of Integrity Commissioner in 2016. Since then he’s taken on the same role in Kingsville and Sarnia.
Once a final report into the accusations is received by the Municipal Clerk, it will be made public, as required by provincial law.
