Although he attended Tuesday’s city council meeting virtually, Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini declined to participate.
During the meeting, Vagnini abstained from participating in every vote of city council except for the vote to adjourn the meeting, which passed unanimously and in silence.
He did not weigh in on any of the 16 motions the balance of city council voted on aside from declaring that he would abstain from voting. The vast majority of these votes received unanimous support from his colleagues.
Although abstaining from votes gives the appearance of neutrality, each vote Vagnini abstained from notched in a “no” vote on his behalf.
“I’m not aware of any specific pecuniary interest being disclosed,” city solicitor and clerk Eric Labelle said during Tuesday’s meeting. “I can further indicate that under the Municipal Act, members should be voting on matters unless they are legally not able to do so.”
By the end of the meeting, he had effectively voted “no” to every motion that came up except for the vote to adjourn the meeting. Some of his more notable votes of “no” during the meeting included:
- An effort to have traffic-calming bollards installed on 10 priority streets this year.
- A bylaw updating what municipal resources can be used by candidates during an election campaign period.
- Rescinding vaccine requirements for visitors to city facilities in accordance with the province lifting their mandate.
- Authorizing the borrowing of $103 million for capital projects.
He also effectively voted against changing the name of C Street in Lively to Len Turner Drive and the adoption of minutes from various past committee and city council meetings.
Early in the meeting, Ward 4 Coun. Geoff McCausland asked Vagnini why he was abstaining from all of the votes, to which Vagnini replied, “Personal and legal reasons.”
In emailed correspondence with Sudbury.com the following day, Vagnini responded: “Unfortunately I am unable to talk about it until the investigation is completed.”
It’s unclear what investigation Vagnini is referencing and he declined additional clarity in a follow-up text, responding, “I can’t discuss.”
During a media conference following Tuesday’s meeting, meeting chair and Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann said that this was the first time in her 16 years on city council that she has seen someone abstain from so many votes during a meeting.
That said, she clarified that it was his right to do so.
“There must be a particular reason,” she said, adding that it’s a decision “one needs to respect.”
This isn’t the first time Vagnini has abstained from votes. During the Feb. 15 finance and administration committee meeting, Vagnini abstained from two votes without explanation.
These votes related to proceeding with a 14-unit affordable housing complex at 1310 Sparks St. and allowing tax-exempt status to remain in place for five single-family dwellings purchased from the city by the not-for-profit Raising the Roof-Chex Toit for continued use as affordable housing. Vagnini initially indicated at the time that he “can’t” vote on the matter, and later clarified that he should have said he would abstain. No conflict of interest was declared.
Earlier this year, Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc accused Vagnini of threatening him over the phone after the Jan. 25 city council meeting. Leduc declined to offer additional details, but clarified that it was a “very serious” matter and is under investigation by North Bay Police Service. Vagnini has categorically denied wrongdoing.
During the Jan. 25 city council meeting, city council voted 9-2 in a motion presented by Leduc to remove Vagnini from the police board. The reason given was that Vagnini declined to phone 911 after witnessing an incident downtown in which a woman “ran for her life” from a tent in Memorial Park. He was also accused of spreading various points of misinformation about the city’s homelessness crisis in a YouTube video he filmed with mayoral candidate Bob Johnston and a homeless man who went by “Roger.” Although all of the claims made in the video were refuted by city staff, the video remains online.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
