By: Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice
Anger from municipal councillors who weren’t invited to an online meeting between municipal officials and the Ontario Hockey League boiled over on social media.
Mayor Darrin Canniff, who handpicked seven councillors to attend the virtual Feb. 24 session, came under fire online for not including all members of council. Those shut out are also upset they weren’t immediately informed about what transpired.
At the Mar. 9 council meeting North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville raised the issue and her comments were echoed publicly by Chatham councillors Alysson Storey and Michael Bondy.
In the days following the meeting, online community spaces were filled with complaints about so-called “back-room deals,” as well as posts from councillors, some who attended the meeting, saying they did not have a problem with the way the meeting was handled.
In response to the online criticism, Canniff took to social media to clarify his position.
In a post penned to his personal Facebook account, Canniff explained that’s it’s part of his role to “take meetings” which are often “exploratory and information gathering opportunities.
“Often these meetings involve staff from different departments, and in some cases, I will reach out to councillors who I believe might be interested,” Canniff wrote. “I value transparency, and having extra council member ears in these meetings isn’t about exclusion, it’s about adding more transparency and community representation.”
Canniff added he asked councillors to attend who have “expressed interest in the OHL and in investing in Chatham-Kent’s future.
“The online meeting was purely informational,” Canniff said, “with the OHL commissioner sharing their vision for the expansion of the league and how C-K might fit into it. There were no decisions made, dollars spent, or dollars promised.”
In his comments, the mayor agreed with what he’d been hearing from councillors and the community, adding he “should have sent an email to all of council explaining the meeting and providing next steps.
“For that, I certainly apologize,” Canniff said. “I got caught up in the excitement about this amazing opportunity and what it could mean for the future of our community.”
To further the conversation and build on a possible OHL expansion into C-K, Canniff has arranged for a meeting with the OHL. At the March 23 council meeting, OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford will address council and the community about future opportunities for a local franchise.
Canniff said that “going forward,” he’s committed to ensuring that all of council receives all OHL-related information in a timely manner.
