No penalty for Richmond Hill Coun. Tom Muench after integrity report criticism

Retraining, apology suggested by colleagues, but ultimately voted down

Yorkregion.com
March 25, 2021

Well that was anticlimactic.

After much ado about the latest Richmond Hill integrity commissioner's report, this time into Coun. Tom Muench allegedly entering into a private residence without consent, his colleagues decided to ignore the commissioner's suggestions for action and instead do nothing

The decision came during the March 24 council Zoom meeting, which began with Coun. Dave West putting forward the notion that Muench, who the integrity commissioner suggested should be reprimanded for his behaviour, should be forced to make an apology and receive training to better understand the role of a councillor.

In his statement to council, West called the allegations "serious", adding he was "disappointed" to have to deal with the issue.

"I really do believe we should be doing something that's useful and has some possibility to correct the problem ... I've struggled with this," he said, explaining why he didn't feel as though a financial penalty, which Muench has been subject to in the past, was helpful.

However, his suggestions were not well received by some, least of all Regional Coun. Carmine Perrelli, who said he did not feel as though it was council's job to put a punishment in place.

"We have to choose whether we reprimand, or we just receive the report ... and do nothing, or that we impose a financial penalty," he said.

In the end councillors Castro Liu, Perrelli, Joe Di Paola and Greg Berros voted against penalty, while West and Coun. Godwin Chan voted for an apology and retraining. Coun. Karen Cilevitz had stepped away and Muench recused himself for the vote.

At the heart of the report was a complaint that Muench walked into the residence of Richmond Hill resident Mehrdad Sabouhi. Once inside and having refused to leave, Meunch told contractors inside the home he was "the government" and "the law". He also suggested he "knew Doug Ford" and that he was "important".

The report stated that while Muench, who said he felt as though the home was being used as a "rooming house", acted in good faith and without malice, his actions were far outside his remit.

The city investigated the property in August and found no violations.

Richmond Hill council has been struggling to come to terms with the role of integrity commissioner and the current commissioner, Norm Groot, exits the post at the end of April.

His replacement will be council's third commissioner since 2019.