Page 3 - Dec. 14, 2017 Regular edition

Thursday, December 14, 2017 The Independent
Page 3
Petrolia pays over $7,000 for Youth Centre rent, repairs and utilities so far
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Council Monday approved a contract with Baron’s numbered company to pay utilities in lieu of rent until the end of the one year trial of the youth/seniors centre.
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The documents also show the former CAO’s numbered company was paid $2,400 in rent - rst and last month’s rent and $800 for the month of April.
Town administrators suggested the bill would be about $200 per month even though all of the bills invoiced so far were over that mark with one reaching almost $650.
The Independent’s request to release the cash cheques for rent couldn’t be provided because “the record did not exist.”
Baron told The Independent in October
he didn’t disclose he owned the buildings
to council because the town was getting
the building “rent free.” Councillor Ross O’Hara later said Baron told him the town was paying $1,800 in utilities in lieu of rent.
The town also put cash into the renovation of the youth centre on Robert St. Documents show $2,735.66 of invoices for items ranging from paint, labour and over $1,000 in miscellaneous repairs.
CERNTEIWFIED
The town was paying utilities on the building. It paid $2,678.15 in utilities from March to Nov. 2 according to the town’s documents.
The town also documents $198.10 in costs for cutting and trimming the lawn and spraying for weeds by town employees.
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When the centre was rst proposed, $1,800 was budgeted for the entire year.
The Independent also requested the original lease agreement. There wasn’t one.
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CAO report won’t be released: McCharles
The Independent Staff
A group of concern citizens in Petrolia which wants an investigator’s report which led to the resignation of the CAO released is getting the same answer, no. But this time, Mayor John McCharles had the backing of the investigator.
for the town to review and tighten its Procurement By-law, especially the part pertaining to the buying, selling and leasing of real estate, and was assured to learn that staff had already been in the process of drafting such amendments,” read McCharles.
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Hugh Deighton represented the group at council Monday night. For the third meeting in a row, the group asked for the report to be released.
“I am con dent that, as an experienced municipal executive and investigator, should Mr. Fleming have had any reason to believe that additional investigation was required into other areas, he would have recommended to council that further investigation be undertaken.
For the third time, the mayor said no.
But this time, he quoted from his year-end address which contained comments from the investigator, John Fleming.
“I take comfort, as I believe my council colleagues do, in knowing that the challenge we experienced was isolated to one person, that this problem has been resolved and
that we have an excellent administration team that will continue to lead us towards greatness in 2018.”
“Mr. Fleming did indicate, however that he had no reason to believe that there were other problems within the administration of the town.
“He did comment that he saw the need
‘Bring in the Ombudsman’ says Luckhurst
Heather Wright
such a high turnover in the departments dealing with developers.
The Independent
“There has been one constant throughout the entire process of our ongoing dif culties as developers. One person at the head of council and one person who has been aware of the challenges we have been facing
all along. One person whose clients have bene ted from the double standards....our mayor, John McCharles.
There were calls for a probe into the actions of Petrolia Mayor John McCharles after a local realtor questioned why the realtor/mayor was signing subdivision agreements for his own clients.
Bob Leaper brought a development agreement for Fairway Court. McCharles is the agent which sells the properties. Leaper pointed out the document which was signed by the mayor, shows the group didn’t pay fees which are part of the standard contract.
“It seems to us and many others that the Town of Petrolia is open for business as long as you deal with Mayor McCharles. It’s easy to contact him, just go to the town’s website and under the mayor you can contact him via his real estate email.”
Leaper produced his agreement for Countryview Estates dated May 2016. He was charged a few hundred dollars for water ushing charges which the Fairway Court developers were not. But the bigger issue was the line of credit Leaper had to secure for the development to move ahead.
Leaper urged council to investigate his claims.
Leaper had to have $111,850 available should anything go wrong. Fairway Court according to the documents Leaper showed to council Monday, provided none. “Once again, Mayor McCharles clients are held
to a different standard, saving thousands
of dollars,” says Leaper. “So, while one developer was subject to the same process, he was not held to the same rules and requirements.”
And council unanimously agreed to look into the conditions placed on the Fairway Court developers.
Leaper wasn’t sure staff could be held responsible for this, since there has been
When staff went to nd him to tell him the portion of the meeting he declared a con ict in was over, the mayor was gone.
Requests for staff meeting minutes about setting up the new centre also did not exist.
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The comments angered some members of the audience. Gary Luckhart urged council “to bring in the Ombudsman” to investigate. “A realtor acting as mayor is a con ict of interest.”
McCharles didn’t comment.
He declared a con ict of interest once Leaper mentioned him by name in the presentation. He left the council chambers.
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