Efforts to bring forward a new Code of Conduct, as required of municipalities by the provincial government, has resulted in a divide on the Corner Brook city council.

The deadline for municipalities to have their codes in place was March 1.

Mayor Jim Parsons says to the best of his knowledge, Corner Brook is one of the few municipalities that failed to meet the deadline.

He says the first attempt to debate the draft code was delayed because some councilors felt they didn’t have enough time to made a decision—”which is fair”, says Parsons.

The intent was that there would be debate during the public meeting, but that never happened.

The draft code issue was brought forward again at the next council meeting, with staff requesting suggestions from council on items they would like to see in a draft, but there was nothing, says Parsons. Then the following meeting council “wouldn’t even debate the issue and it was voted down 4-3”. Parsons calls that “a puzzler.”

For now, council is seeking out the provincial template.

He says it appears as though Corner Brook is the only functioning council that has yet to pass the Code of Conduct, and what’s more troubling, is the fact that they haven’t even debated it yet.