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City council to select replacement to fill empty seat on DNSSAB

'This is the first time this has happened since I've been on the board, and I've been on the board since 2000. It's really hard on the board to go through something like this. It's just not a good situation' George Jupp DNSSAB Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board By-Law Committee

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald says it will be up to council to decide who will fill the vacancy on the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board after deputy mayor Sheldon Forgette was removed for missing three consecutive board meetings. A claim Forgette continues to deny.

“The replacement has to be done by council. So council under the procedural by-law has to appoint a council member or the mayor for one of the positions at DNSSAB. Under our procedural by-law, we have to have six representatives at DNSSAB. It’s done in-camera, and once that decision is made in-camera, it automatically is made public. That will happen July 17, so our next council meeting,” explained McDonald.

The District Social Services Administration Boards Act governs how many people sit on the board.

The regulation sets out that DNSSAB must consist of 12 members, of which half represent the City of North Bay.

George Jupp, Chair of the Board By-Law Committee and Vice-Chair of the Board stated that a thorough review was conducted into claims by Forgette that he attended at least one of the meetings in question.

The board's official teleconference phone logs; absences noted in the approved board minutes; official signed roll call logs; circulated minutes and signed motions of the board, were all reported to have been examined prior to the board making its decision.  

As a result of the legislation and formal review, Forgette was deemed "absent and ineligible to serve." 

See related:DNSSAB to replace Deputy Mayor due to alleged absenteeism

DNSSAB is currently on summer hiatus and will not meet again until September, unless an emergency meeting is called.

The new council representative will sit on the board during scheduled meetings in September, October, and November. The term of the current council ends November 30. 

In late November the new council will meet to decide which agencies, boards and commissions each elected member will serve on, as city council representative.The inaugural meeting of the new council is scheduled for December 3rd.      

The DNSSAB Vice-Chair says in his nearly 20 years on the board, he has never had to deal with a situation like this one. 

“The board has spent considerable time reviewing the matter, and would like to note this has been a distraction to those serving the most vulnerable in our community,” said Jupp.

“This is the first time this has happened since I have been on the board, and I’ve been on the board since 2000. It’s really hard on the board to go through something like this. It’s just not a good situation. He (Forgette) could seek to be reappointed, then it is up to our board to decide whether we would accept that appointment or not.”