Carleton Place mayor would have liked more talk of scandals during debate

A mayoral debate in Carleton Place organized by the town's chamber of commerce didn't include any questions about transparency orsanctions against the incumbent.

Incumbent mayor Louis Antonakoshad his pay suspended for 270 days in February following areport from the town's integrity commissioner that said he breached the town's code of conduct.

Those breaches included bullying and releasing confidential information in the form of recordings of in-camera council meetingsto developers.

Antonakossaid he is looking forward to serving another term when asked how that record has affected his campaign though he said he would've liked to defend his record during the debate.

"Something I would've liked to see was more time to give more fulsome answers to some of the questions, particularly on transparency and some of the economic development ones," he said.

Antonakossaid he wants council meetings to be streamed online soresidents feel they can speak on issues that affect them.

Ralph Lee, a local lawyer running for mayor, raisedthe drama in council's last term in his opening statement saying it was important to hold politicians to account.

"The dysfunction, infighting and scandals over the last four years are absolutely unacceptable and it is painfully obvious that we need real change here in Carleton Place," Lee said.

Antonakos' highest profile challenger is Doug Black, a veteran Carleton Place councillor who was charged with assault following a heated council meeting about the mayor's conductearlier this year.

That charge was later dropped.

"This term has been challenging to say the least," he said in his closing statement.

"Achange is needed and to make this change, I need your vote."

Black declined to be interviewed by CBC about the transparency issue.

Both Black and Lee underlined in the debate that they have no alliances with developers.

Roland Wutherich was not at the debate, though he is listed as amayoral candidate on the town's website.

Council candidates want to move on

Several town council candidates raised the drama and bad headlines garnered by the previous council in a debate before the mayoral forum.

They were also asked about transparency measures at that city.

The lone incumbent councillor running for re-election, Theresa Fritz, said she had spoken out on the issues and would continue to advocate for more transparency.

She wants to limitin-camera council sessions to personnel matters and legal issues which can't be discussed publicly.