Wednesday, October 22, 2014

5 DAYS - DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK!

UPDATE:  The rumour is that Doug Martin has told at least one person that Bob Steckley quit his candidacy for regional councillor. Seems the mayor-by- five-votes is actively working to control the campaign, even spending time at the advance polls glad-handing and campaigning.  Just like what got Rob Ford kicked
out of three advance polls in Toronto.

Add that to his near gleeful account of the new lawsuit brought by the Molinaros.  You were supposed to represent the people, not the developers, Dougie, mayor-by-five-votes.



DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK
IN FORT ERIE?


Bob Steckley, Ward 3; 
John Hill, Ward 4; 
Don Lubberts, Ward 5;
Paul Collard, Ward 6
were democratically elected to represent the taxpayers.
For the past four years, they have been standing up for the people
of Fort Erie despite a well-planned attack on their integrity.

2010:
  • Previous council approved the twelve story condo on public beach lands which did not contain safeguards to protect the taxpayers from an escalating burden should the project be delayed. The property did not have an absolute title when it was purchased from the Rebstock Family in 2001. The developer was apparently able to dictate the conditions of the MOU to the town solicitor, Heather Salter.
  • Bob Steckley, John Hill, Don Lubberts and Paul Collard were not in favour of a high rise on public beachfront land. They were elected by large margins..
  • A local blogger (me) was sued by Jim Thibert and the EDTC using over $20,000. of taxpayer money.

2011:
  • Compliance Audits, costing the town in excess of $100,000. uncovered minimal mistakes. Marina Butler requested a complaince audit on John Hill. Martha Lockwood, who lost to Don Lubberts, requested an audit on his campaign; Larry Graber requested an audit of Paul Collard's campaign. The audit against Bob Steckley was dismissed.
  • Two large billboards were placed on Garrison Road that called the Four Councillors "liars." attributed to the "Citizens For a Better Fort Erie" whose spokesperson, Kim Zanko, is a candidate for Ward 3.
  • A group calling itself "Citizens of Fort Erie for a Positive Future" distributed a full colour flyer that attempted to paint The Four as deceitful and corrupt. Again, Kim Zanko took ownership of the flyer.


2012:

  • Town solicitor was dismissed. Confidential information in violation of the non-disclosure clause of her settlement accusing The Four of harassment was released.
  • Against advice of legal counsel, the mayor tried to get confidential settlement information released without a court order. Request defeated.
  • Mayor tells The Four councillors that he will never support another thing they bring forward.

2013:

  • Conflict of Interest lawsuit filed against The Four Councillors by former, defeated town councillor Tim Whitfield who admitted under oath that he has been approached by the mayor as well as a lawyer who also represents the EDTC to provide an affidavit for an action against The Four. Lawsuit paperwork leaked to press from town hall under code name "Project 4-2-0"
  • Mayor Doug Martin admitted under oath that there was no harassment of the town solicitor. He had provided Whitfield with documents from closed sessions regarding the settlement.
  • The lawsuit has been delayed  to prevent the resolution of the case before the municipal elections. To date approximately $40,000. has been spent by each councillor, of their own money, to defend himself.
  • The Bay Beach developer requested an open-ended extension for the project as the necessary 45 units had not been sold by the self-imposed date of December 31, 2013.
  • Council offered an eight month extension but that was defeated by votes from Martin, Shular, Passero, Hill, Lubberts and Collard. The author of the offer, Bob Steckley, was the only councillor to vote in the affirmative.
  • No other motion was offered by either Martin, Shular or Passero to extend the time for the Molinaros.
  • The Bay Beach developer chose to end the project on December 31, 2013, however he still retains right of first refusal for further development on the property. This could leave the door open for him to come back to the project if a new council invited him.

2014:

  • EDTC General Manager Jim Thibert filed a Conflict of Interest lawsuit against Councillor Don Lubberts over a piece of property belonging to the Fort Erie Race Track. He has yet to state publically how the lawsuit is funded. He seems to expect that the taxpayers will pay for it as they did for his action against the blogger.
  • Documents demanded by the court in the Conflict of Interest case against The Four revealed that the lawsuit was funded by the following:
  1. Jim and Bill Miller, owner of two companies and part ownership in a local golf club. (Donated to Martin's 2010 campaign)
  2. Artaj Singh, landlord for the Chamber of Commerce and the EDTC (Donated to Martin's campaign)
  3. Howard and Valerie Beattie, 2010 scrutineers for Doug Martin
  4. Kirk Zavitz - owner of Zavcor Trucking (Donated to Martin's campaign)
  5. Marina Butler, owner of Employment Professionals Canada, now a candidate in Ward 4.

The Four have been subjected to continuous assaults in order to force them from office. They have remained professional and diligent in their efforts to represent the people of Fort Erie to the best of their ability. They won their elections fairly; they have been subjected to unfairness since they were elected. It is time to stand up for those who stood up for us.




IN DESPERATION, A NEW LAWSUIT HAS

 BEEN FILED BY THE MOLINAROS

against the

Town of Fort Erie and Four Councillors


 THIS WAS TIMED TO SCARE THE VOTERS



The Molinaros voluntarily walked away 

from the project in January. Council was 

advised that they under no obligation to 

extend the timeline.




We support The Four:

      1. Bob Steckley ... Regional Council

      2. John Hill ... Ward 4

      3. Don Lubberts ... Ward 5

      4. Paul Collard ... Ward 6

Democracy is at stake in this election.

Vote with pride for those 

who stood up for you!


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