SERVING MAPLETON AND MINTO
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 51 ISSUE 37
1 Year GIC - 2.79% 3 Year GIC - 3.25% 5 Year GIC - 3.32% Daily Interest 2.55%*
638-3328
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
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Breach of trust charge against Baron withdrawn By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Manny Baron is relieved and township officials are reaffirming their confidence in the municipality’s CAO after a breach of trust charge against Baron was withdrawn on Sept. 6. “It’s been obviously a very stressful time for my family and I, but ... we hung in together and obviously are very pleased with the outcome,� Baron told the Community News in a Sept. 10 telephone interview. Baron was charged in March with breach of trust by a public officer following what Lambton OPP officials called a “lengthy� police investigation. The charge relates to Baron’s leasing of property he owned to the Town of Petrolia - and a resulting conflict of interest - while he was CAO of the town. In a statement noting his client is “relieved and thrilled� the charge was withdrawn, Baron’s lawyer Phillip Millar called the entire case “a witch hunt arising from a few political haters that Mr. Baron ran afoul of � while serving as CAO of Petrolia. “The justice system was used to try to find something that wasn’t there ... and today Mr. Baron, an outstanding public servant, can hold his head high knowing his name is cleared,� declared Millar in the Sept. 7 press release from his firm Millars Law. Assistant Crown Attorney Suzanne Lasha explained the charge was withdrawn in connection with Baron’s participation in restorative jus-
tice through the Direct Accountability Program. “We often use ... [it] where we have grounds MANNY to pursue a BARON charge but we, in our discretion, feel that it is more appropriate to use that program and we felt in this case that adequately addressed the issues involved,� said Lasha. According to the Millars Law release, Baron made a $1,000 donation to the Petrolia Community Foundation “as a good faith gesture to show that he took responsibility for an administrative error on his part but never breached the trust of the people of Petrolia, who he loved serving.� Lasha explained the donation was part of the Direct Accountability Program. “Implicit in the program is an acknowledgement. But it’s not certainly any specific plea,� she said. “It doesn’t involve any formal pleas of any kind before the court. The matter is absolutely withdrawn.� Baron was placed on administrative leave by Petrolia in October after a local newspaper, The Independent, reported he was charging the town rent, and utilities in lieu of rent, on facilities he owns through a numbered company. Baron did not disclose to the town his ownership of the properties. The town appointed investigator John Fleming to look into the deal for the properties, which were used by the
town for a youth/seniors centre and storage area. Baron resigned on Nov. 14 after Fleming’s report was presented to Petrolia council. The report was not made public and a Freedom of Information request for its release by the Independent was denied and is now under appeal. Baron was hired as CAO of Mapleton Township in January. In an interview with the Community News shortly after he was hired, Baron conceded his ownership of the Petrolia properties constituted a conflict, but he said his intent was to contribute to the community, not profit from the transaction. In the Sept. 7 Millars Law statement Baron thanked Mayor Neil Driscoll and Mapleton councillors for hiring him despite his controversial exit from Petrolia. “I will never forget what [they] did by believing in me and trusting that I would clear my name,� stated Baron. In a statement, Driscoll noted Mapleton officials are celebrating the news of the charge being withdrawn. “Council and I knew early on that we were going to reap the benefits of Petrolia’s loss,� Driscoll stated. “He came to us with vast experience, excellent references and a great knowledge of how we could prepare Mapleton for the future.� Driscoll added the township has had “a very productive nine months� with Baron. In the Sept. 7 statement, Baron thanked his lawyer
Block party - Drayton Reformed Church members hosted a Community Block Party in the church parking lot on Sept. 8. The free event was held to help celebrate the church’s “Ministry Kick-off Weekend.� CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Youngsters enjoyed a train ride at the event and so did driver Hank Ottens; Jason Moore, left, and Gary Van Ankam of the band Loose Change, which provided musical entertainment; and firefighter Jeff DeVries gives Parker Douglas a chance to sit behind the wheel of a fire truck. Photos by Evan Robertson
SEE CHARGE Âť 8
Town supports MVCA proposal for funding water and erosion control infrastructure MINTO – Town council here supports a Maitland Valley Conservation Authority proposal to split the cost of maintenance, repairs and/or decommissioning of recreational water and erosion control infrastructure with the municipalities in which the structures are located. However, council would also like to see provincial and federal governments provide more resources to help conservation authorities deal with such structures.
In a letter seeking input from member municipalities, the MVCA states “We have insufficient funding to maintain or repair all of the water and erosion control infrastructure that we are responsible for.� MVCA’s water and erosion control infrastructure includes three recreational water control structures located in Gorrie (Gorrie Conservation Area in Howick township), Bluevale (Pioneer Conservation Area in the Municipality of MorrisTurnberry) and Brussels (Brussels Conservation Area
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Huron East township). The authority is also responsible for maintaining the Listowel flood control structure and the Goderich bluffs stabilization project in partnership with the Municipality of North Perth and the Town of Goderich respectively. “All of these structures were constructed or repaired in the 1970s, ‘80s and early ‘90s when the provincial government had programs in place that provided grants of up to 85 per cent to cover the costs of construction, repairs and maintenance,�
the authority points out in its letter. These funding programs, the MVCA notes, were eliminated in the mid 1990s and replaced with a $5-million Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure Fund to provide 50% grants to conservation authorities to maintain, repair or decommission structures. The letter indicates the MVCA board of directors feels that maintenance, repair or decommissioning of water and erosion control infrastructure should be cost shared on a 50-50 basis with
WEEKLY WAG
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By Patrick Raftis
“I’m not a dreamer ... but I believe in miracles. I have to.� - Terry Fox
the municipalities where water and erosion control structures are located. The letter points out the MVCA has been utilizing accumulated surplus and general levy funds to finance minor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure. The letter notes maintenance and repair work for recreational structures doesn’t rank high enough to receive funding from the Provincial Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure Fund, which is designed to help conservation authorities and municipalities reduce the potential
for loss of life, property damage and social disruption. The MVCA also asked for input on a proposed policy under which the authority would transfer ownership of any recreational water and erosion control structure that a municipality would like to see replaced, along with associated lands, to the municipality and allow them to pursue funding for the project. “Everybody’s aware that conservation authorities are similar to municipalities and the funding just doesn’t seem SEE MINTO Âť 3
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