Ensign censured by West Kelowna council

Rusty Ensign reprimanded and told to pay half legal fees by fellow City of West Kelowna councillors.

  • Feb. 1, 2016 5:00 a.m.

A special meeting of City of West Kelowna council was held Monday, Feb. 1,  to consider potential censure and sanctions against West Kelowna Councillor Rusty Ensign.

The issue was regarding a possible conflict of interest involving a development application.

On Nov. 24, 2015, council rescinded second and third reading on an in-stream development application and directed that a second public hearing on the matter be scheduled, after council received information that Coun. Ensign may be in a conflict of interest related to the matter. The move was considered necessary to ensure the validity and transparency of council processes.

At the special meeting held Monday, West Kelowna council agreed to censure Ensign.

Council further agreed to request Ensign repay half of the legal fees incurred by the municipality related to this censure hearing and require him to publicly admit to a conflict of interest and apologize in a letter to the city council.

A censure is an expression of strong disapproval reprimanding for the actions or conduct of an individual councillor.

Kelowna Capital News