A Night To Remember

On October 23rd 2002 , a meeting was held during the election.It was not the norm. Substantive issues are not usually decided by a dead duck council.

The Province had fixed a deadline for municipalities to forward a list of designated properties within the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Planning staff report had to be approved by council.

Reference to a letter containing solicitor/client privilege to be discussed behind closed doors was part of the report.

Rebecca Beaton and I were on regular speaking terms then. It was a day of excitement. The lawyer's letter was not attached to the report. Skull-duggery was suspected Forces of opposition were rallied.

That night, during public forum, speaker after speaker took the podium . They passionately demanded Council prohibit all development on the Moraine.

Phylis Morris , Susan Walmer, the Mayoralty candidate and his son, Rebecca Beat on and numerous others rallied to the cause.

Councillor MacEachern demanded the matter be discussed in public. Staff advised solicitor/client advice needed to be considered in private.

" Why had the letter not been circulated?" the Councillor demanded.

" The town's interest must be protected " came the answer.

An hour passed while Planning Director and solicitor left the chamber and attempted to write a report to satisfy the Councillor's demands.

It was a no go.

Mayor Jones and Councillor West spoke of legalities and urged against the action.

A resolution finally passed with the intention of removing all planning designations, including
one ordered by the Ontario Municipal Board and prohibiting development on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

The crowd applauded.

At a subsequent meeting, still before the election, a second motion had to be moved to undo the first. Councillor Mac Eachern stated she had not understood the impact of her motion and had no intention of taking away legal rights.

George Timpson voted for the first motion then changed his position .

George's "flip-flop" was featured in The Banner. Little else.

In the election, the Mayoralty challenger did amazing well for an unknown who demonstrated
no knowledge of the town's affairs.

John West dropped from top of the poll to second from the bottom.

George was not elected.

Phyllis Morris came in at the head of the poll.

Evalina MacEachern had withdrawn her name from the contest because she did not want to serve with the people who were on the ballot. Though not a member of the new council, she moved for a recount anyway. She had challenged staff's advice on the efficacy of the voting machines recommended.

It took a re-count and additional expenditure to prove the machines were perfectly efficient and staff's advice was vindicated.