ARNPRIOR – Strong words towards the mayor has an Arnprior councillor dealing with a code-of-contact complaint and possible salary forfeiture.

Arnprior Coun. Lisa McGee was accused of maligning Mayor Walter Stack in public when speaking on the issue of Arnrprior’s alleged systemic racism.

McGee allegedly maligned Stack in public comments she made by attributing racist behaviour as a motivation for his perceived inaction on a file under discussion at the council table.

McGee used the terms “racist shovel,” and “racist backhoe” in a public post on the popular Facebook page What’s Up, Arnprior? Dec. 18, which was re-posted by others frequently since. The Facebook page has more than 15,000 followers.

Arnprior’s integrity commissioner William Hunter recommended McGee forfeit 30 days salary for violating several sections of the Town of Arnprior Code of Conduct.

Arnprior’s chief administrative officer says Hunter’s report is not binding.

”They are just a recommendation to council and it would still be up to council to determine if they wish to impose any penalties,” CAO Robin Paquette said.

The integrity commissioner will be in attendance at Monday’s (Feb. 8) meeting to speak to his recommendation, and the item appears early in the meeting’s agenda.

McGee spent several years as a City of Ottawa employee working in Coun. Eli El-Chantiry’s office before coming an Arnprior councillor.