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Message From : Eric Fagen [[email protected]] Sent: 3/14/2013 9:53:33 AM To : EMT [[email protected]]; [[email protected]]; [jlehman@.ca]; maurizio.bevilacqua@.ca; Colin Macdonald [[email protected]]; Ed Houghton [/0= TOC/OU=First Administrative Group/cn=Recipients/cn=ehoughton] CC : PowerStream Corporate Communication [[email protected]] Subject: Collingwood Connection newspaper on line article - Residents protest at town hall

Residents protest at town hall

Protestors voice concerns over recent CBC report

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This protestor voices his displeasure with council by holding up signs ,suggesting they be impeached. He was one of 130 protestors who rallied at town hall on Monday evening, voicing their displeasure with recent media reports over wrongdoing at town hall.

Collingwood Connection by John Edwards

About 130 residents rallied outside town ha ll on Monday evening.

The group gathered in the wake of a CBC story that said the OPP was in vestigating allegations of corruption and conflict of interest in connection with several recent council decisions.

The OPP has not confirmed they are investigating.

Residents held signs that called on council to "resign," or that said "we deserve better," and "enough is enough."

Local resident Steve Berman was the organizer of the protest Berman said he has had concerns since the town chose to proceed with purchasing two membrane buildings from Sprung - one for the arena at Central Pa rk and one to cover the Centennial Pool. TOC0290557.0001

Berman believes that the rec facility decision was made by council before it was introduced to the public and has sim ilar concerns about the decision to proceed with an integrated destination resort

Berman sa id he organized the protest to give people the opportunity to voice their concerns.

"It seemed like it was some pretty controversial stuff, even though it is just allegations," he said. "The first opportunity to strike wh ile the iron is hot, is to get people to come meet at council like this. I don't really have a message, my message would be, say what is on your mind. "

Berman says councillors should divulge any personal relationships with people who may have an interest in town decisions.

This relates to the relationship between Mayor Sandra Cooper and her brother Paul Bonwick, who worked for Powerstream.

"I don't think it's difficult for council to be as transparent and open as they want to be," he said. "If nothing was wrong, just come out and I say it"

Berman is a local blogger and has a Facebook page called, Enough is Enough, Steve Berman for Collingwood Town Council. Berman was involved in a series of protests in the summer over the decisions on the recreation faci lities in the municipality.

He says he doesn't have a political agenda and has no plans to run fo r council in the next election.

"I no more want to run for council than I do want to stand here and do interviews about that stuff," he said. "I don't want to run for council."

The protestors were respectful to councillors who were entering the building for Monday's meeting. They then came inside and packed the council chambers, holding up signs.

A press release from organizers say there are two more protests planned for the next two Mondays.

The group also had four recommendations fo r council including the creation of a lobbyist registry that is available to the public, that all councillors declare conflict on decision relating to fa mily - including siblings, any work over $20,000 to follow open and public te ndering, and a moratorium on construction on town property and discussions over the casino resort until OPP investigation is completed

Eric Fagen I Director, Corporate Communications I PowerStream Inc. 161 Cityview Blvd. I Vaughan, ON L4H OA9 I P:905-532-4522 M:647-297-1273 eric. [email protected]

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