Expelled councilor says he will apologize, accuses staff of ‘baiting’ him

A Sarnia councilor kicked out of council’s last meeting for poor behavior says he will apologize so he can participate again when council next meets.

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“I will apologize,” said Coun. Bill Dennis, who was tossed from council’s 2025 budget deliberations on Nov. 26.

“It was offline getting personal,” Dennis said Friday.

Dennis was expelled after turning on Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley and other councilors in the wake of an argument with staff about consultant costs at the city.

Dennis called at least one member a joke, told Bradley to “kiss my ass you drunk, you cokehead,” and told the mayor to “f— off.” He also called Coun. Adam Kilner has “fruitcake.”

Multiple councilors called for points of order, Bradley told Dennis his behavior was inappropriate and unacceptable, and Dennis continued smoking, calling Bradley “a disgrace to the city” and “a damn crook” before Bradley called a break.

About a half hour later, deliberations summarized and Bradley expelled Dennis, noting it was the first time he had expelled anyone from chambers in his 36 years as mayor.

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Bradley also said Dennis was informed he would be able to join council by apologizing, as per council’s procedural bylaw.

Council next meets Dec. 16.

“I don’t want to be in a position where my absence could be the difference between something failing and something passing that I agree with,” Dennis said Friday.

“At this meeting, there are some issues I believe in, that I agree with. . . and my presence, my vote is important.

“I want to be there to serve the public. That’s what I was elected to do.”

While making personal attacks was wrong, Dennis said, he still stands by some of the things he said.

“I made comments about the city being ruined and I stand by those comments.”

Dennis told Bradley at the meeting “you’ve destroyed this city and it’s a disgrace that the people of Sarnia have left you in office for 40 years.”

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Dennis has said several times he plans to run for mayor in 2026.

Dennis said he was frustrated at the meeting by councilors calling for points of order while he was speaking about the amount of money Sarnia spent on consultant fees.

He was also frustrated, he said, he didn’t receive information before the meeting that he requested from chief administrator Chris Carter about the city’s plans for consultant spending in 2025.

Dennis said staff at city hall have been “baiting” him.

“They have been doing a lot of things behind the scenes to piss me right off,” he said.

Dennis added he’ll be “biting his tongue” when he’s apologizing, just not to the citizens of Sarnia.

“Because they deserve better than that, but they do know that I’m working my tail off for them (and) I’m trying to make a better city,” he said.

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Dennis has been the subject of integrity commissioner complaints, has had his pay docked and filed a $200,000 lawsuit on Oct. 31 against the city and Carter, alleging Carter is “trying to render him ineffective.”

The allegations in Dennis’s statement of claim have not been tested in court. The city and Carter filed notices saying they intend to file statements of defense.

Dennis too says he’s the subject of a workplace harassment complaint at city hall, linked to an argument with Carter over Dennis’s approach to bringing citizen concerns to city staff.

Council hasn’t met in person since May and has been meeting by teleconference instead.

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