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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 46 Issue 21
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.05% 3 Year GIC - 2.20% 5 Year GIC - 2.50% Daily Interest 1.55%
Friday, May 24, 2013
Investigator says closed council meetings were held appropriately under Municipal Act
Tasty treat - Megan Mahar was among the students participating in the May 17 Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser at Maryborough Public School in Moorefield who enjoyed a cool watermelon treat. More photos on page 8. submitted photo
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – A municipal meeting investigator has concluded recent in-camera sessions held by Mapleton council were conducted appropriately. A report from Norm Gamble, a municipallyappointed closed meeting investigator, was included on the agenda for the May 14 council meeting. The report indicates Gamble was asked to investigate a closed session of council held on April 9. The request also included investigation of any other recent council meetings related to a committee of adjustment matter. The report indicates the request came from Mapleton residents Lori and Alwyn Woodham, who recently filed an Ontario Municipal Board appeal on a committee of adjustment decision. The investigation request also “spoke to various planning matters as well as procedural matters,� the report states. Gamble stated his investigation began with a telephone conversation with Lori Woodham. He also held telephone conversations with Mapleton CAO Patty Sinnamon and Mayor Bruce Whale. The report notes “the advisability and/or need of face-to-
face interviews was discussed and it was the opinion of those involved this would be considered at the draft report stage.� A second set of phone calls was held to discuss the preliminary findings of the investigation and the township provided the investigator with copies of agendas and minutes of the April 9 closed session. Those involved with the request were advised of the scope of the investigation and a general outline of what the final report would look like, the report explains. The report indicates the investigation found the April 9 closed session “was held according to the Municipal Act as well as the municipality’s procedural bylaw.� The report also concluded: - the closed session required a motion to waive the normal notice period as a result of information coming before council recently; - the motion to waive the notice period as well as motions to move into and out of closed session were appropriate; - various concerns identified by the requestors over Planning Act and procedural bylaws were found to be outside the scope of the meeting investigator; - the requestors have made numerous and sincere attempts
to address their concerns; - the request for an investigation was one of various approaches to have the concerns dealt with; - municipal staff and council have made numerous and sincere attempts to assist the requestors’ issues; and - the committee of adjustment was found to have no closed sessions over the matter in question. While noting the investigation revealed “no improprieties,� Gamble pointed out Mapleton’s process includes a verbal report from a closed session after council has resumed in open session. “Often the public has been encouraged to not wait for council to resume as it is the last item of a long agenda. This advice leaves one to wonder what would have been reported if there was someone left in the chambers when council had returned,� Gamble stated. “These verbal reports after council met in closed session, even if very general in nature, are important in council’s attempts to ensure as much transparency as possible,� he added. Gamble also cautioned council against informal gatherings, which could be perceived as closed meetings. “As is the case with most all
rural Ontario municipal councils there is far more social interaction among councillors than can be found in larger urban settings. This is often with informal lunches, which may be perceived as ‘working’ lunches or might be seen as ‘closed sessions.’ Mapleton council, like most rural councils finds itself in this situation but has been very careful to ensure these lunches are not ‘working’ lunches,� the report states. Council was also advised that municipal investigation forms and related information should be easily accessible by the public. The Woodhams acquired the forms for their request through the County of Wellington website. Sinnamon noted in an accompanying report to council the meeting investigator policy and the meeting investigation form had not been uploaded to the new township website. “It has now been added and is of course also available through the clerk’s office,� she stated. “Pursuant to the municipal act you are to release this report publicly at your earliest convenience,� Gamble states in a May 1 letter accompanying the report. The report was on the agenda for the next regular Continued on page 3
Hall’s teapot collection featured in Township appoints new director of finance ‘Wellington County Collects’ exhibit by Kelly Waterhouse ABOYNE - Carl Hall’s collection of more than 200 teapots is steeped in a fondness for rare and whimsical tea serving traditions. Sixty of his tea pots will now be part of the Wellington County Collects exhibit at the Wellington County Museum and Archives, the second in a series featuring unique collections of county residents. “We are very pleased to have such an amazing collection on exhibition,� said Amy Dunlop, the museum’s curatorial assistant. “Each teapot is unique it its own way, ranging from Donald Duck, I Love Lucy, golfers, nursing rhyme characters, cars, couches, washing machines and even a teepee. “Carl has nearly 200 teapots in his private collection and has chosen some of his favourites to display in the archives over the summer.� Hall, a longtime resident of Mapleton Township, says his
Two for tea - Carl Hall selected 60 pieces of his treasured teapot collection, which includes more than 200 teapots, with a little help from curatorial assistant Amy Dunlop, to include in the Wellington County Collects exhibit that runs until Sept. 8 at the Wellington County Museum and Archives. photo by Kelly Waterhouse teapot collection began approximately 50 years ago, while working at an auction, when a particular piece caught his eye.
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“A tea pot came up at the auction. It was a blue old lady and it was musical. It played a Continued on page 5
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Mapleton’s new director of finance has experience working for municipal, medical and charitable organizations. Yufang Du was officially appointed to the position, which has been vacant since last August when former finance director Mike Givens left to take a similar post with the Township of Wellington North, at the May 14 council meeting. Du, who was born in China, moved to the United States in 1997 to continue her education there. She later worked in the financial department of Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland as an accountant. She moved to Windsor in 2000, where she worked for Delloite and Touche Inc, before taking a post as finance director for the Canadian Mental Health Association. In 2003, she joined the staff of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent as a financial analyst. The position in Mapleton
Weekly Wag
ction tly in the dire Go confiden s. Live the life m a re d r u o y f o gined. you have ima Thoreau - Henry David
New finance director - Yufang Du is the new finance director for the Township of Mapleton. Du, who has previous experience in the finance department of the Municipality of Chatham Kent, was officially appointed at the May 14 council meeting. photo by Patrick Raftis
“is a good opportunity,� said Du, adding she is looking forward to being involved in all aspects of the municipality’s finance department. Du, who has been on the job since April 24, said she is already enjoying the experience. “I have a good team here
and everyone is so nice,� she stated. Du currently lives in Waterloo and plans to move to Mapleton after selling her house in Chatham-Kent. Council passed bylaw at the May 14 meeting, appointing Du as director of finance and deputy tax collector.
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