North Stormont Councillor Adrian Bugelli faces a 30-day salary suspension after the township’s integrity commissioner found he breached its code of conduct by being intoxicated and becoming involved in two physical fights at a public event last year.
Integrity commissioner Tony Fleming agreed with a complaint that Bugelli was “extremely intoxicated” and got into altercations with residents during the opening of the Moose Creek Recreational Hall September 30, 2023.
The report, published on the township’s web page, is to be discussed at the August 20 council meeting.
In a complaint filed in October, it is alleged Bugelli was “extremely intoxicated” as the event progressed and was observed throughout the day consuming alcohol. Bugelli said he couldn’t recall exactly how many alcoholic drinks he consumed but estimated he had three or four beer.
Evidence was received that Bugelli was observed slurring his speech and that the bartender for the Event decided to stop serving the Member alcohol.
“Based on the evidence received, it is our finding that it is more likely than not that the Member was intoxicated at the Event,” the report reads.
The complaint alleged that Bugelli instigated an altercation with a resident, shoving the resident and striking him. “The Member’s evidence was that the resident without provocation shoved him to the ground and that the incident was not an altercation that he instigated but rather an unprovoked attack. Video footage of this incident was reviewed. The video evidence shows that the Member and two other attendees are speaking and one of the attendees then aggressively shoves the Member who falls to the ground.”
“After the Member is on the ground and the attendee who shoved him is some distance away, the Member gets up and aggressively moves towards and grabs the individual. The Member is held back and blocked from the individual by another attendee. The Member continues to point and make comments towards the individual and attempt to get past several men that are separating him from the individual. It is important to note that the video footage does not include audio so there is no evidence of what was said during the altercation. Eventually, other attendees keep the Member and the individual separated and the Member walks away.”
“The allegation that the Member “instigated” the altercation cannot be corroborated because of the absence of audio in the video footage. It is clear that the physical attack was not initiated by the Member. However, the Member’s evidence that this was a completely unprovoked attack also cannot be corroborated with the video footage.”
The report continues, “It is our finding based on our review of the video footage that the Member was speaking with the person who shoved the Member immediately prior to the incident. Due to the lack of audio we cannot make a finding as to what was said or whether the attack was unprovoked.”
“After being shoved to the ground, we find that the Member attempted to continue the physical altercation. The Member is shown in the video grabbing and approaching the individual after the individual is some distance away from him and separated from him by another attendee. “
“The Complaint alleged that the Member instigated another fight with a different resident. It was alleged that the Member had fallen to the floor and the resident attempted to help him up and was punched in the face by the Member,” says the commissioner.
“The Member alleges that during the second incident he was accosted by the resident who made several comments about him and that the incident left him with a broken ankle.
Video footage of the second altercation was reviewed. The video footage shows the Member talking with several individuals, one of whom grabs the Member, who then falls to the ground. The video then shows a second individual approach the Member, pulling him up by his shirt and the Member punches the individual in the face. Lastly, the video shows the Member on the ground where he is approached by a third individual who appears to attempt to punch him before being held back by other attendees at the Event. The Member appears to be unable to get up.”
“We find that the Member did not initiate the physical attack. We note that the Member did attempt to punch the second individual, however, he appears to have done so in response to being pulled up to standing by his shirt. It is not credible that the individual was attempting to “help him up” as alleged in the Complaint. The Member does appear to be unable to get up which is consistent with his evidence that the altercation left him with a broken ankle. As with the first incident, it is not possible to determine what, if anything, may have initiated the physical altercations. We have no evidence from any attendee that would corroborate that the Member instigated either altercation.”
The Code of Conduct prohibits members from being impaired while performing municipal duties.
Bugelli insists he was not there as a councillor but as a resident and member of the Moose Creek community.
The commissioner disagreed.
Bugelli “made a small speech as a Member of Council regarding the grand opening. These items are indicators that the Member was attending in his capacity as a Councillor and representative of the Municipality rather than purely as a private citizen.”
“In investigations of this nature, it must be recalled that as leaders of the community and as elected officials, members of Council are held to a high standard when considering what constitutes permissible behaviour. We acknowledge that the Member may have been upset or aggravated by being shoved by a resident but note he is still governed by the Code of Conduct and expected to respond appropriately rather than engage in the same conduct and attempt to escalate or continue the altercation. “
But, “We do not find that the Member breached Section 4 of the Code of Conduct during the second altercation that took place at the Event. This altercation differs from the first as the Member appears to participate in the altercation only to the extent of defending himself. We note that the Member did punch another individual, but that doing so was during the Member being pulled to standing by his shirt by the individual. While we do not condone engaging in any altercation with members of the public, we cannot find that there was a breach of the Code of Conduct by the Member for engaging in what appeared to be an attempt to protect himself.”
A 30-day suspension of Bugelli’s remuneration would “reflect that behaviour of this nature will not be tolerated” and “deter any future incidents of this nature.”
A Finch resident, Bugelli works as executive assistant for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MP Eric Duncan.
