On the recording, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger provided sensitive information to a local newspaper columnist last year that involved a senior city manager, the Hamilton Community News has learned.

During a phone conversation held in May 2007, with a Hamilton Spectator columnist, Mr. Eisenberger talked about an internal auditor’s report involving former General Manager of Planning and Economic Development Lee Ann Coveyduck and a series of recommendations to improve the troubled Building and Licensing department.

The discussion focused on a number of those recommendations and whether Ms. Coveyduck should have been responsible or  known about the department’s failures.

Mr. Eisenberger, during an “off the record” conversation, which the Hamilton Community News found out about, indicated to the columnist that Ms. Coveyduck was going to resign her position.

“I expect it’s imminent,” stated Mr. Eisenberger.

After the reporter asked if Ms. Coveyduck had told anyone her future plans, Mr. Eisenberger responded, “Well, yes, I think the time line was roughly a week or there abouts, so we’re in the time frame,” stated Mr. Eisenberger.

And after being pressed on the audit’s 14 recommendations that involve Ms. Coveyduck, Mr. Eisenberger provided further information.

“You know what, it’s a tough one because ... look I’ll give you what I know off the record,” stated Mr. Eisenberger.

The mayor then preceded to provide the reporter with information that came from an incamera meeting that involved Ms. Coveyduck, councillors, and city staff.

Mr. Eisenberger told the reporter that councillors wanted to know from the auditor how much should Ms. Coveyduck have known about the problems within her department.

Mr. Eisenberger stated Ms. Coveyduck acknowledged in the meeting there should “have been areas that possibly Lee Ann should have had a better understanding or knowledge of something of that order” that involved 10 of the 14 recommendations contained in the audit.

The conversation then ventured into whether councillors were considering firing the general manager for cause. Mr. Eisenberger stated “Is there cause here and the answer is no.

“The answer was blatant, clear and unequivocal no.

“It didn’t mean she wasn’t doing her job. It didn’t mean that she necessarily completely dropped the ball. It just meant that maybe she could have been stronger in some where in some area that she was over a period of time.”

The conversation occurred when the mayor and councillors were upset that sensitive information concerning the building and licensing department had repeatedly been leaked from incamera meetings to the media.

At one point Mr. Eisenberger sent out an angry email message to councillors in May 2007 castigating his political colleagues for leaking information to the news media.

“The leaked information in today’s Spectator article is yet another example of a council member (or members) stepping way over the line displaying a blatant lack of integrity,” he stated.

“The leak is a clear breach of the code of conduct for members of council which we have all sworn to uphold.”

He stated further in the email that “leaks of confidential information shared during in-camera sessions of Council are in contravention of the code, particularly information concerning personnel matters. This act is completely inappropriate and totally unacceptable. It besmirches both the image and reputation of Council...”

During this time, council had approved Mr. Eisenberger’s creation of the Transparency and Accountability Committee that was to look into the creation of an integrity commissioner.

Councillors recently approved the establishment of a commissioner. The position has not been filled yet. The committee is now examining council’s Code of Conduct policy.

When Mr. Eisenberger was asked about his conversation with the columnist this week, he did not want to comment on it.

“It’s not proper to speak about it right now,” he said.

Mr. Eisenberger subsequently held a press conference June 25 and admitted he may have breached ethics. He also asked police to investigate whether the recording was stolen from his office.

Also, councillor Brad Clark admitted Friday he was the person who leaked the conversation to Hamilton Community News and two other councillors.

Mr. Clark said he felt it was important to public interest that the recording be released.