WOOLWICH COUNCIL SCANDALS CONTINUE

That would be Woolwich Township as part of the Region of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Our current ongoing scandal deals with our past Mayor, one Todd Cowan. I believe the criminal charges against him may include fraud and or breech of trust. It isn't in dispute that he double booked over $3000 in expenses either between Woolwich Township and the Region of Waterloo but also between the Township and the Grand River Conservation Authority. Todd of course claims that it's all a big mistake and he's not good with paperwork. Hopefully some time this year we'll learn if the Judge agrees with Todd's assessment.

There are two other current Councillors facing allegations. The first Councillor Murray Martin is a longtime Councillor who had lost the last election in 2010. He's back with us as of the October 2014 election. The allegations against Murray were first raised (I believe) at Woolwich Council perhaps four weeks ago by a member of the Conestogo Recreation Association. She claimed that there had been double booking of landscaping bills either for a park or ball diamond in Conestogo. Allegedly Murray was doing the work and billing the Association while Woolwich Township were also providing (& billing?) labour for this work. Now I will say that Council were unhappy with these allegations being presented at a public Council meeting and among other things claim to have turned off the recorder and refused to include the allegations in the Council Minutes. Regardless it is my understanding that the lady making the allegations is pursuing them through the appropriate channels. That might be via the Ministry of Municipal Affairs although I am not certain.

Last but not least comes newcomer to municipal politics, Scot Hahn. Scot came in first in Ward One and while very young (27) seems to have fitted in well with most on Council. The problem seems to be his claimed campaign expenses. Even on the very face of them they appear bizarre. $358 including the $100 deposit to run is an extraordinarily tiny amount of money to run a campaign on. A winning campaign no less. The problem would seem to be that there is no mention of expenses related to either signs or brochures which I am advised he most certainly had. Anyone who has ever run a campaign knows that those two items are expensive.

All in all it certainly keeps things exciting up here in Woolwich Township. At first blush these seem to be legitmate and serious claims and allegations. Time will tell if our authorities agree or not.