What happened in a private residence in Saanich on the evening of Dec. 11 was none of the public鈥檚 business 鈥� until the police were called. At that point, it became a public matter, especially given that the chairman of the police board was involved in the incident.
Sources told the Times 91原创 that Richard Atwell, who was sworn in as Saanich鈥檚 mayor 10 days earlier, was at the home of a campaign supporter when an altercation occurred that resulted in the police being called. Atwell did not respond to repeated requests for an explanation.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Saanich police refused to confirm or deny that Atwell, whose mayoral duties include chairing the police board, was involved in a domestic dispute. A police spokesman said the 鈥渋nvestigation in question is concluded鈥� and no criminal charges were recommended.
On Wednesday, Atwell finally offered his explanation. He said there was no improper conduct on his part, and he called 911. He said he didn鈥檛 come forward earlier out of respect for the privacy of others involved, and because he thought the incident was minor.
He said he knows now he should have explained sooner, and he cited his inexperience in public office.
It shouldn鈥檛 have taken a month to get to this point, but better late than never. As an elected official, Atwell is a neophyte, and there鈥檚 a steep learning curve.
While we accept that what occurred was a minor incident, that isn鈥檛 the issue. Politicians鈥� private lives are by and large ignored by the media, but that changes once those private lives overlap with public duties. When the head of the police board calls his police department to resolve a dispute, there鈥檚 an obvious potential for conflict.
Conflict-of-interest rules exist not merely to prevent conflict, but to prevent the appearance of conflict. When it comes to conducting public business, perceptions matter. If there is a perception that conflict has occurred or can occur, that will erode public trust and hamper governance.
The best way to handle a situation, no matter how unpleasant or unpopular, is to meet it head-on, with honesty and forthrightness. A detailed explanation is not always necessary; a simple statement clarifying the issue will often suffice. A third-party examination of the incident would have helped.
Atwell ran on a platform of transparency and openness. During the campaign, he wrote: 鈥淚鈥檓 running for mayor because Saanich needs a mayor who listens, a mayor who is approachable and a mayor who will work collaboratively with others. I will make decisions through an open and transparent process and be accountable to you.鈥�
When Atwell was sworn in on Dec. 1, he was cheered by a crowd of supporters, one of whom said: 鈥淚t was his penchant for openness and accessibility that got me.鈥� The supporter said he hoped Atwell maintains his openness and if he doesn鈥檛, 鈥淚鈥檒l be shocked.鈥�
And yet, so far, openness has not been Atwell鈥檚 trademark. He decided, without consulting his council, that the district鈥檚 chief administrative officer, Paul Murray, should be fired. He doesn鈥檛 reply to calls or emails. He doesn鈥檛 keep regular office hours, and municipal office staff members cannot say if or when he will be in the office. He finally spoke to the media Wednesday.
A person in Atwell鈥檚 position needs to ensure his public life does not consume his private life. It鈥檚 not always easy to balance both, and sometimes they collide. When that happens, the public is entitled to an explanation and to the assurance that an elected official is following proper procedures.
And is living up to promises of availability, collaboration, openness and accountability.
