Below is a letter I sent to council.
Some may find it of concern.
Craig
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June 9, 2013
Members of Council, TSBP
Re: Improper Use Of Treasury Funds By John Close For Private Purpose
On April 29, 2013 I received a notice prohibiting me from entering John Close’s property at 14 Hea Road in Red Bay. The notice is attached.
I am not at all concerned about receiving the notice.
I am concerned however that the notice, a purely private matter between me and John Close, was inappropriately paid for by the taxpayers of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.
The notice is on Miller Thomson letterhead and is signed by Miller Thomson lawyer Steven O’Melia. Mr. O’Melia’s billing rate is $575 per hour.
In the subject line of the letter is “Close ats Gammie Court File No. 12-262”.
The notice has absolutely nothing to do with court file 12-262.
Court file 12-262 was put in the subject line to make it look like the notice has something to do with the town, and to provide a TSBP account to charge the lawyer’s time to.
The charge to the TSBP account called 12-262 is illegitimate.
(Any charges related to case 12-262 are illegal, but that is an issue for another time.)
The April 29 notice has nothing to do with the town. It is a private matter between me and John Close.
Generation, issue, and delivery of the notice were paid for not by John Close, but rather from the TSBP treasury.
That was an improper and unauthorized use of taxpayers’ money.
If John Close wants to issue me a no-trespass notice, he must do it at his own expense, not use taxpayers’ money.
When John Close takes money from the treasury and uses it for private purpose he brings shame not only on himself, but also on all the rest of council.
Council needs to take action to require John Close to pay back, to the treasury, the cost of the April 29 notice.
Council should also issue a serious reprimand.
Craig Gammie
Craig Gammie's Commentary 