Confidential memos about Derik Brandt, Email flap

Here are some other assorted Emails (three rated confidential) related to the Rowswell/Fratesi Email controversy.

All of the following documents were obtained by SooToday.com from City Solicitor Lori Bottos, using the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

**************************** FROM: [Rowswell assistant] RENEE WYSYNSKI SENT: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2002 5:05 PM TO: [City Clerk] DONNA IRVING SUBJECT: AGENDA TO MAYOR

Hi Donna,

The Mayor has requested that an agenda outline be e-mailed to him when ready. His e-mail address is [email protected].

Thanks, Renee

**************************** FROM: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL SENT: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2002 6:05 PM TO: [City Human Resources Commissioner] JOHN LUSZKA SUBJECT: CONFIDENTIAL FROM THE MAYOR

John

I heard a rumour in Japan that Joe Fratesi was trying to find Derik Brandt a job at City Hall.

Please advise.

John

**************************** FROM: [City Human Resources Commissioner] JOHN LUSZKA SENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2002 09:03:15 -05:00 TO: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL SUBJECT: RE: CONFIDENTIAL FROM THE MAYOR

John:

I spoke to Joe this morning and he has advised me very clearly he has not either directly or indirectly sought to find a job for Derik. Certainly I am not aware of any application by Derik for a City position nor has anyone made any inquiries on his behalf to me.

Let me know if you need anything else.

John

**************************** FROM: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL SENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2002 12:37 PM TO: [City Human Resources Commissioner] JOHN LUSZKA SUBJECT: RE: CONFIDENTIAL FROM THE MAYOR

John:

This is the rumour travelling at lightening speed around the city. Why would I not check it out.

A simple no would have suffice.

John

**************************** FROM: [City Human Resources Commissioner] JOHN LUSZKA SENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2002 1:14 PM TO: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL SUBJECT: RE: CONFIDENTIAL FROM THE MAYOR

John;

No problem with wanting to check it out. Just wanted to be thorough. Again, I certainly did not hear that rumor nor has anyone approached me regarding this.

John

**************************** FROM: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL SENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 08 2002 12:33 PM TO: BILL FREIBURGER [Commissioner of Finance & Treasurer] SUBJECT: RE: CREDIT CARDS

Bill: Both Dwayne and I have been to the bank twice, the cards do not work

Send cash.

Thanks

John

**************************** FROM: [Councillor] DERIK BRANDT SENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2002 1:33 PM TO: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL, [Fratesi assistant] SHARON ROBERTSON CC: [Councillors] DUANE JONES, DEBBIE AMAROSO, DAVID ORAZIETTI, FRANK MANZO, BRADY IRWIN, JAMES CIACCO, LOU TURCO, NEIL DELBIANCO, PETER VAUDRY, TONY RYMA SUBJECT: RE: TRAVEL EXPENSES

John, please concentrate on creating jobs for Sault Ste. Marie, that is why you were sent to Japan. Judging by your email, you are getting needlessly distracted. Maybe you should re-read your email. "I do not trust my CAO, and I am watching every move you make even from here or Russia." This is just bizarre.

Derik Brandt

**************************** FROM: [Councillor] DEBBIE AMAROSO SENT: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2002 9:31 PM TO: [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL CC: [Councillors] DUANE JONES, DAVID ORAZIETTI, FRANK MANZO, BRADY IRWIN, JAMES CIACCO, LOU TURCO, NEIL DELBIANCO, PETER VAUDRY, TONY RYMA SUBJECT: FINANCIAL ISSUES

John

I can appreciate frustration if you are experiencing financial difficulties while abroad. However, your e-mail was totally unprofessional, inappropriate and immature. Be assured I will not be threatened by you nor will I stand by and idly watch you attempt to threaten and intimidate any staff member.

Debbie

**************************** FROM: DERIK BRANDT SENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2002 12:26 PM TO: [Councillors] DUANE JONES, DEBBIE AMAROSO, DAVID ORAZIETTI, FRANK MANZO, BRADY IRWIN, JAMES CIACCO, LOU TURCO, NEIL DELBIANCO, PETER VAUDRY, TONY RYMA, [Mayor] JOHN ROWSWELL, [CAO] JOE FRATESI, [City Solicitor] LORIE BOTTOS, [City Clerk] DONNA IRVING SUBJECT: STILL NO RESPONSE

John Rowswell:

Considering the situation you have once again put us in one would have expected a response from you by now, it has been a week. I would like to use this email, however, to explain why your email in question was completely inappropriate. There are essentially three reasons: 1) It seems to be completely unprovoked. I say "seems" because you have not yet provided your explanation. The fact that you are taking so long to come up with one is certainly questionable, but I will for now attribute it to difficulties with emails from Russia. If you had been provoked with similar language it would be hard to criticise you. However, based on what I know of the situation there was nothing inappropriate with the CAO's email. 2) You should never treat staff the way you did. I don't know how you treat your staff but if you were the CEO of a company I owned and you treated staff in this manner I would fire you on the spot. Heated exchanges between politicians is expected because they both have the ability to respond with their own heated reply. Staff do not have that option. Feel free to send an email to all of Council fully expressing any and all feelings you have about me using any language you want. In fact, I prefer that since everything is in then in the open with all of Council. But NEVER do that to staff! There are those who seem to be blinded by their dislike for Joe and therefore do not see your email as being that bad. If you substitute personalities and pretend this email was directed to Donna Irving or Lorie Bottos these same people would be appalled. Because of this point and the other two, I can easily say there has not been a worse email from anyone on Council during my two terms. 3) A declaration of war against Council. You and I have certainly had our heated disagreements, and frankly had you directed all those comments but the declaration of war against me I would not have had any problem. Put to declare war on Council is to put the entire matter over the top. In spite of any problems this Council has had with you we have repeatedly voted for nearly all of your requests. You have gone public declaring us obstructionist, unethical, and even more but Council never responded to these statements with a declaratin of war. We have continued to act in the best interests of the City, never voting against something that was good for the community simply because it was something you wanted. For you to know declare war against us because Council wants the CAO to report to Council, well... well there is just no way to describe it. By your own words you clearly wanted these emails to be made public and frankly I would like to know if you had any part in these emails becoming public. Now that they have all of Council looks bad again because of your actions. Councillors' comments to date, my own included, have been considerably restrained. My comments will continue to be such until you have provided some explanation.

Derik Brandt

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