A rookie councillor has not been seen at city hall for the past month while elected officials tackled the crucial issue of setting Brampton’s budget for the coming year, as many of them seek re-election in 2018.

It is unclear when regional Coun. Michael Palleschi will return to work following the extended leave, listed as being due to an illness.

At least one fellow councillor says residents in Palleschi’s ward do not know where he is.

Palleschi has missed a dozen city meetings since early November including audit and community safety advisory committees, which he chairs. He last attended a full council meeting, where the final votes are taken on issues directly impacting the day-to-day lives of his constituents, on Oct. 25.

Under Ontario’s Municipal Act, a councillor who misses three straight months of debates automatically loses their seat, triggering a byelection.

City staff responded that unless the 90 days timeline expires “there is no specific requirement for council to consider or comment upon” the councillor’s attendance.

A number of councillors told the Guardian that they have not heard from the councillor, nor are they sure why he has not shown up to work for weeks. The reason for Palleschi’s absence has been listed as “illness” in the minutes for each meeting he’s missed. The councillor did not respond to the Guardian’s request for clarification on the reason for his absence.

“I hope he is doing well,” said Coun. Pat Fortini.

In addition to committee and council meetings, Palleschi has so far missed a number of budget meetings — the last, and by far the most important fiscal document of this council term — that includes a strategy on key priorities such as how to pay for the city’s portion of a university expansion plan. With the city facing a bleak financial picture outlined in a 2015 external audit report, residents have questioned what councillors are doing to rein in runaway labour costs at city hall as Brampton’s population continues to balloon, and how elected officials such as Palleschi will finally address badly needed transit expansion, the city’s expected share for a new university and its obligation to support funding for health care expansion as the city’s hospitals face a bed-shortage crisis.

When asked if the councillor’s absenteeism has affected city business at all, Fortini said “his vote didn’t make a difference on the process of the budget so far.”