Owen Sound council decided to take no action after reviewing a report from the city’s integrity commissioner about an investigation into a complaint lodged by one councillor against another.
Karen Kelly of Principles Integrity presented a report Monday to Owen Sound council about a complaint it received last year from Coun. Jon Farmer, alleging Coun. Marion Koepke had engaged in a pattern of behaviour that “amounted to bullying in the workplace.”
But after reviewing eight interactions between Koepke and Farmer from May 2023 to September 2025 cited in the complaint, Principles Integrity says it found “none of these interactions to constitute inappropriate behaviour or a pattern of bullying.”
Kelly told councillors the only specific allegation substantiated was during a Ryerson Park Renaming Working Group meeting on Sept. 22, 2025, involving the “tone and content of Coun. Koepke’s comments while objecting to Coun. Farmer becoming chair of the working group.”
“The tone and content of comments directed towards Coun. Farmer being seen as demeaning and personal in nature, that were unwarranted in the situation,” Kelly says. “We did not find the councillor’s conduct, though, to constitute a pattern of behaviour amounting to bullying. But rather a single incidence of minor incivility that while not egregious in nature, constituted a breach of the code of conduct.”
The report says Farmer alleged in his complaint that Koepke made “negative, patronizing and disparaging comments” and engaged in “eye rolling, public scolding and demeaning side talk” with neighbouring councillors.
The Integrity Commissioner says Koepke acknowledged in her response to the complaint she engaged in “smirking and eye rolling” towards Farmer. The report says Koepke identifies her behaviour as “rude and wrong” but she also “denies being the only member of council engaging in such behaviour.”
“Councillor Koepke acknowledged that she has joined with other council members in negative displays of their collective frustration and complaint to each other that Councillor Farmer tries to monopolize council meetings,” the report says.
There was also an alleged physical interaction between Farmer and Koepke during a meeting on April 28, 2025.
“Witnesses described the physical contact between Councillor Koepke and Councillor Farmer as a ‘brush off the knee that looked like a nudge’, a ‘tap not a hit’, and a ‘swat’ and recalled that Councillor Farmer was sitting on his chair with bare feet on this occasion,” the Integrity Commissioner’s report says.
The report says the alleged interaction was related to how Farmer was sitting in his council chair, which Koepke found “unprofessional, physically offensive and a breach of appropriate decorum.”
“Councillor Koepke stated that Councillor Farmer was sitting crosslegged with his feet on his chair with his crotch wide open to her which she found to be unprofessional, physically offensive and a breach of appropriate decorum required at a council meeting,” the Integrity Commissioner’s report says. “Councillor Farmer acknowledged in his complaint that this interaction was about him sitting cross-legged on his chair and that Councillor Koepke had asked him to put his legs down as the manner in which he was sitting was offensive to her, which he refused.”
Farmer offered some comments during Monday’s meeting about the integrity commissioner’s report, claiming he filed the complaint as a “final attempt” to address the issues after “multiple invitations and requests over more than a year for informal meetings to name and resolve the tensions in our working relationship.”
He also objected to the commentary in the report suggesting he tries to monopolize conversations during council meetings.
“This is false. It is no surprise to followers of our work that I participate frequently and that my contributions are not universally appreciated. Those points seem self evident,” Farmer says. “I will however state for the record that the manner of my participation is in fact driven by a conviction that it is the job of council to be thorough and thoughtful, in considering both the material before and the general needs of our community.”
Koepke offered no additional comments during Monday’s council meeting.
Deputy Mayor Scott Greig asked city staff if they could provide a financial amount for how much this investigation cost. Owen Sound City Manager Tim Simmonds told councillors $17,000.
The Integrity Commissioner recommended an education and training session be arranged for all of council on appropriate conduct and decorum, and best practices for handling difficult situations at council.
But Greig introduced a motion the report be received and no further action be taken. It was approved by council. The deputy mayor says he doesn’t think any more taxpayers’ dollars should be spent on this.
“The community is always watching,” Greig says. “And the community will evaluate, ultimately, how council is functioning.”