‘Litany of malfeasance, misdirection, greenwashing’: Collingwood councillors comment on judicial inquiry findings

For the first time since Associate Chief Justice Frank Marrocco issued his report on the Collingwood Judicial Inquiry, members of council had the chance to comment on his findings.

Deputy Mayor Keith Hull was a member of the council from 2010 to 2014 which sold the former Collus utility and built the two recreational facilities that eventually led to the inquiry.

“The council of the day and key senior individuals failed the community,” he said at the Nov. 16 council meeting.

Marrocco made hundreds of recommendations for the town, as well as the province, in hopes of improving transparency for municipal governments.

“I think we know and have known for years that we have operated within a system that has too far great (amount) of latitude to allow for things that have transpired in the town of Collingwood,” he said. 

Since 2013, the OPP have been investigating the issues discussed in the inquiry and Mayor Brian Saunderson said that investigation is ongoing.

Hull said he was interviewed by the OPP in 2013.

“I am hoping for all concerned that at some point the provincial police come forward with a conclusive statement so that we as a community can move over and the cloud and the shadow that still cover this community can finally be lifted and move onward,” he said. 

Perhaps the most passionate member of council was Mariane McLeod, who was working as a journalist at the time of the sale. She said the entire report “is a finding of wrongdoing.”

“Not just a finding of wrongdoing but a litany of malfeasance, misdirection, greenwashing, greed, enabling, wilful ignorance, a coverup and just general shenanigans,” she said.

McLeod was not pleased with the $7-million cost, but put the blame on those involved and said the town would “still be paying, had we not done this.

“I would beg that we never again let the good old boys prevail,” she said. 

Coun. Steve Berman said the findings send a message to anyone who thought the inquiry wasn’t necessary.

“For anyone who said or maintains that this was nothing but a witch hunt, I think Justice Marrocco’s own words show, that sometimes, there are in fact witches out there,” he said.