Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom (file photo)
Rideau Lakes council has formally reprimanded Mayor Arie Hoogenboom after four integrity commissioner reports found wrongdoing — including disclosing confidential information and making misleading public statements.
One of the reports concluded Hoogenboom breached the township’s Code of Conduct when he publicly revealed he was under investigation. At a Municipal Services Committee meeting on May 26, he stated he was the subject of an integrity commissioner probe. The commissioner ruled the disclosure violated a rule requiring council members to keep all communications with the office confidential.
In a second case, the integrity commissioner reviewed comments the mayor made during a June 4 interview on CBC Radio’s All in a Day. Hoogenboom said he had spoken to the province about his decision to use strong mayor powers to veto a building tender, and claimed officials told him he was within his authority — citing local MPP Steve Clark.
Clark’s office later rejected that account as “categorically false,” urging Hoogenboom to retract the comments.
The integrity commissioner found the mayor’s explanation — that his remarks had been misinterpreted — was not credible.
“The Mayor is incorrect in his recollection of what he said and in saying that his comments were misread or misinterpreted,” the report stated, concluding the comments were misleading and breached standards requiring elected officials to treat the public and council appropriately.
In a statement, council said the breaches undermine public confidence and the effective functioning of the municipality. Trust, confidentiality and truthful communication are essential to leadership, the statement said.
Hoogenboom told the commissioner he had apologized to Clark and his staff.
