There are mixed feelings and reactions following a report shared at the City Council meeting on Monday night this week. 

The results of an investigation into serious personnel issues at the Downtown Facility and Field-House (DFFH) has been released, with three sitting members of City Council being disciplined for not acting on complaints filed. The investigation began back in July but not much has been released to the public as Mayor Fraser Tolmie met with Councillors Dawn Luhning and Chris Warren to figure out what happened and determine how to discipline their colleagues, Brian Swanson, Scott McMann, and Crystal Froese.

The only councillor who has decided to speak about the incident since being reprimanded is Councillor Crystal Froese, who has been a part of the DFFH board for some time as she was appointed to it shortly after being elected in 2016.

She regrets the decisions made and her role in failing to carry out the investigation of the complaints.

"This entire process has been tumultuous, but more importantly I think the focus needs to continue to remain of the health and well being of the staff and organizations of both of those facilities. That has absolutely been my priority going through this entire process," explained Councillor Froese. "That and the other issues that you're dealing with on a board as well. It is really probably (the most) unprecedented, most complex issue that I have come across. Personnel issues tend to be that way, and that's why people go to university."

The investigation explained that Froese was extremely cooperative with the process - something she did because she quickly realized the errors they made when looking back over the last few months.

"The personnel issue was probably one of the most complicated issues I've ever come across; hindsight is 20/20. Looking back I completely fell short in following process and procedures, I am completely a-okay with taking responsibility for errors that I have made."

The report does indicate that Froese sought outside advice from the City's Human Resources Department who suggested an investigation, but the board as a whole never made a move. The complaints have since been investigated and dealt with according to City officials.

For her role, Froese faced the most lenient punishment including that she cannot be named Deputy Mayor or Chair of any committee for the next year. Councillor Scott McMann cannot be named Deputy Mayor or Chair of any committee, and cannot be on any boards until the end of 2019.

Swanson was slapped with the harshest penalty as the Chair of the Board as he took home private personnel records and gave them to his lawyer. He's banned from have direct access to any confidential reports and will only be able to review them in the presence of a member of the City Clerk's office at City Hall. He also cannot be named Deputy Mayor or Chair of any committee, and he cannot be on any boards or advisory committees for the rest of his term of just over two years.

For more on this story and the report that was presented in Council Chambers Monday night by Mayor Fraser Tolmie click here.