TORONTO

Turns out, the Toronto Sun has learned, neither “Andrew” the sleepy city weightroom attendant nor his supervisor will be fired after all.

Newsflash: The city heavyweights who originally appeared to be pushing for a dismissal actually mellowed their over-the-top warpath view and agreed such extreme action was too harsh.

“I believe in second chances,” said Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti. “And third and fourth sometimes, too.”

Of course ,you do Mammo. You have benefitted from such a philosophy.

But to his credit, in a private meeting with senior City of Toronto management and representatives of the employee caught in a picture appearing to be asleep at the Carmine Stefano Community Centre, Mammoliti said he and Mayor Rob Ford softened their position.

Mammoliti had a staffer take the picture and talked of encouraging people to do the same if they witnessed slacking municipal workers.

Ford said he was looking to have both the worker and supervisor dismissed.

The two politicians found themselves in this meeting with officials Monday where the situation was discussed and resolved.

Mammoliti said while “I can’t say what” was decided in terms of punishment, he confirmed dismissals will not happen.

Several sources have said the worker will be disciplined with a minor suspension and will be afforded another opportunity.

So did he and the mayor lower the temperature as several sources tell me they did?

“Let’s just say the mayor and myself are satisfied with what management decided in how to deal with this,” he said. “It was never supposed to be about the worker but more about the system that allowed for it.”

Mammoliti said the mayor also realized he may have got carried away with his characterization of what transpired in the weightroom but said it is understandable.

“He gets very emotional when he thinks somebody is taking advantage of the system,” said Mammoliti.

And what about you, Mammo?

Why would you pull this kind of witchhunt on a kid who I am told is in his early 20s?

“It was difficult for me, actually, because I know him and his family,” said Mammoliti. “When I went in there, I saw him asleep at the desk and there were two people waiting to go into the weightroom and there were others who complained to me. I told my assistant to wait 15 minutes and if he was still like that, take the picture.”

Of course, what he should have done is contact a supervisor, call an ambulance or check on the kid himself.

“There had been complaints over a four-year period, Joe, and nothing was done,” he said.

OK. It has been dealt with now and things are on the right path.

A CUPE source tells me grieving any punishment for the employee may still happen and that this was really nothing more than a kid putting his head down on a break and running into an unexpected hurricane of politics and media.

Sun photographer Ernest Doroszuk and I went up to the recreation centre and could not find the guy who told Sun reporter Terry Davidson his name is Andrew. Local 79 president Tim Maguire told me his union member will not be talking about any of this at this time.

He has also not commented on the process or reported outcome.

“I think he will be relieved to still have his job and will be fine,” Mammoliti said of the worker. “I think he is young enough to learn a lesson from this.”

How about you, Giorgio? You learn anything?

“Yes,” he said. “I will still stay tough on the unions and management, and on people wasting taxpayers’ money, because that is what we’re elected to do. But I did read your column and hear the comments and I did take notice.”

He said he didn’t want to come across as mean and, he said, neither did the mayor.

The mayor did not get back to me. But Councillor Doug Ford said the story played out as explained by Mammoliti and others.

Doug Ford added, “You know Rob, he says one thing one day and cools down and then it’s better the next day. He knows on that one he could have handled it better for sure.”

So it turns out the mayor who is writing recommendation letters to some pals with criminal pasts in the end recommended the sleeping weightroom attendant should get another opportunity.

Say it is so. It seems sleep-gate is over.