St. John's councillor won't face discipline for code breach

An independent investigation found that Ron Ellsworth, a city councillor in St. John's, violated the city's code of conduct. He did this by profiting from a land sale to the city while participating in discussions about the city's budget. In June 2024, St. John's bought 13.8 acres of land at 72 Goldstone Street to improve local road safety. Ellsworth was the realtor for the property and received a commission from the sale. Concerns about a potential conflict of interest were raised by various individuals, including former Premier Danny Williams. The investigator, St. John's lawyer Donna Ballard, reported that Ellsworth breached the code of conduct by voting on the budget in December 2023, which included funds for the Goldstone Street property. However, city officials, including Mayor Danny Breen, decided that no disciplinary action would be taken against Ellsworth. Breen argued that the breach was too minor to warrant punishment. He stated that Ellsworth did not influence the decision-making process during the purchase. According to the report, Ellsworth did excuse himself from some discussions about the property but failed to state that his absence was due to a conflict of interest. The report also noted that the city needed to improve its meeting documentation regarding conflicts of interest. Ellsworth expressed support for the investigation, emphasizing the importance of reviewing internal practices. Meanwhile, all councillors and staff will undergo training to better understand conflict of interest rules, which were updated in 2023.