By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — A Cobden resident has been banned from entering several public buildings in Whitewater Region Township.
Doug Shields, who owns The Chip Pit in Cobden and ran for the mayor’s seat in Whitewater Region in the 2014 municipal election, was provided with a letter on Jan. 22 titled Trespass to Property Notice from Whitewater Region Mayor Hal Johnson dated Jan. 21, 2016.
“It means (Mr. Shields) is forbidden to enter any public property that we have,” Mayor Johnson said.
This public property includes the municipal office, municipal garages, fire hall, water and wastewater treatment plants, landfill site, arenas, libraries and municipal parks within the Township of Whitewater Region.
“It’s anywhere where he can have a confrontation with one of our employees or affiliated people that work in conjunction with the council,” the mayor explained.
This notice stems from an incident that occurred shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20 during a protective services committee. Mr. Shields became confrontational with a contractual employee who was leaving council chambers. Concerned for the safety of that staff member, and others who were in the building, Mayor Johnson had the OPP called to the municipal town hall.
Mayor Johnson said if Mr. Shields “hassles our employees for any reason,” he knows what the consequences will be, because he has been told by staff and the OPP.
When questioned why he felt this was necessary, the mayor said, “Because I fear for the health and safety of the public and our employees, and this is the only thing I can do without charging him, and I don’t feel I should charge him.”
Some staff who were at the meeting were upset following the incident, Mayor Johnson said.
“Some of our employees were very upset, so, in addition to the Notice of Trespass, we have now got a plan in place that if somebody walks into our building that is not supposed to, we have a method now for an immediate lock-down, so there will be total safety for our employees,” he said, adding, “Anybody with a weapon wouldn’t be able to do any harm to them in there.”
While talking to Jim McBain, the contractual employee who was verbally challenged by Mr. Shields, Mayor Johnson said he was “taken aback” by the incident. Mr. McBain told the mayor he wasn’t sure why Mr. Shields was upset and felt the need to attack him the way he did.
As for speaking with Mr. Shields, Mayor Johnson said, “That would be fruitless. That would be in poor taste.”
He also stated he would not want to put himself in jeopardy by approaching the resident.
Mr. Shields has not called to apologize for the incident and he doesn’t expect him to.
“I don’t ever expect that would take place,” Mayor Johnson said. “He doesn’t have a track record for apologizing, that I’m aware of.”
Mayor Johnson said he has not heard a negative reaction from anyone about the action that has been taken regarding this incident.
“When I’m asked why I did it, I say I’m responsible for the safety of the public and my staff,” the mayor said. “It’s my responsibility to protect where I see that there could potentially be a problem. I don’t have to be assured there’s a problem, I just have to potentially see a problem.”
The mayor didn’t feel it would do any good to charge Mr. Shields following the incident.
“He will, I’m sure, very soon, understand what it means to have your life restricted and to take the actions he has been taking and letting them get to this degree,” he said, adding, “He needs to think that out.”
Mayor Johnson said this is a “very unfortunate” this incident took place and he doesn’t like what he has had to do to a municipal resident. However, safety of the staff must be a priority, he added.
Mayor Johnson believes the Notice of Trespass will remain in effect until he decides to lift it.
Whitewaternews.ca was not able to contact Mr. Shields prior to its publication deadline.
