Former Richmond Hill planner reaches settlement with town over firing
Town silent on details over lawsuit settlement with Ana Bassios
Yorkregion.com
January 28, 2019
Kim Zarzour
The Town of Richmond Hill has reached a settlement with its former town planner who was suing the town and three councillors for $2 million over her abrupt firing two years ago.
Ana Bassios, who was commissioner of planning and regulatory services, took the town to court along with CAO Neil Garbe and councillors Greg Beros, Tom Muench and Vito Spatafora. In her statement of claim, she alleged, among other things, that the defendants relentlessly pressured her “to defeat and circumvent provincial planning legislation and municipal bylaws to benefit, among others, their family members or certain private land developers.”
Bassios' court filing went on to allege that her firing was in reprisal for reporting workplace harassment and refusing to act on improper requests by the defendants to engage in unethical, unlawful and unscrupulous conduct.
Acting on behalf of the defendants, Charles Painter, a partner with law firm Paterson MacDougall LLP, said the defendants denied Bassios' allegations.
At the time of her dismissal, which took place behind closed doors in May 2017, the town offered no explanation, but several other councillors made it clear they were not happy with the decision.
The town is being equally close-lipped now, after announcing, in a statement released Jan. 24, “Ana Bassios was an exemplary employee and served the town ably and competently as Commissioner of Planning and Regulatory Services for many years, and the town thanks her for her many years of service and wishes her well in her future endeavours.”
Asked for further details, and whether the settlement included the CAO and councillors as well as the town, Richmond Hill spokesperson Meeta Gandhi said, “as this is a personnel matter, the town’s comments are limited to the statement issued.”
Contacted Friday, Bassios said she could say nothing beyond what is in the statement, but confirmed that the settlement includes all parties named in the lawsuit.
Spatafora said he could not offer details on the settlement other than confirmation that it did include him.
Muench declined to comment.
Meanwhile, some residents quickly took to social media to express concern over the secrecy.
“If Ana Bassios was an exemplary employee and served the town ably and competently, why was she fired?” asked resident Joel Clements. “Who led the charge in the procedure to have her fired? Why was it done ‘in camera’? Many questions unanswered, and those questions point to questionable conduct on behalf of a few councillors.”
“This is completely and utterly unacceptable,” added resident Mike Bowcott. “This is not something that should be brushed under the carpet. It is quite clear that the customary gag orders are in place which prevent both parties from disclosing the facts and that should never be tolerated if taxpayers money is being used to settle what we can now only assume was a wrongful dismissal.
Bassios had been commissioner of planning and regulatory services for 11 years and gained a reputation for going head-to-head with developers.
She was also recognized for her role in protecting David Dunlap Observatory lands, and for the landmark court decision against the OMB allowing the town to ask more from developers for parkland.
The current council appears poised to be moving in the opposite direction with a controversial motion, reducing parkland expectations from developers, to be put forward by Muench Jan. 28.
