By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — When the shouting was heard in the upper entranceway of the Township of Whitewater Region’s office, the order was given to push the panic button alerting the OPP help was required shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday evening.
Whitewater Region Mayor Hal Johnson spoke about the incident a few hours after it occurred.
“We had a member of the public that was being very disruptive within our council chamber and verbally attacked one of our employees on his way out of council chambers,” he said.
The man who did the verbal attack won’t be named, but the staff member was Jim McBain, who had just completed giving a report to the protective services committee of council.
Throughout Mr. McBain’s presentation the man kept mumbling, sometimes loud, but never loud enough to understand what he was saying. Some council members found it distracting.
When Mr. McBain went to leave the council chamber, the man, who is much shorter than Mr. McBain, tried to engage him in a conversation. It was clear it was not going to be friendly, and Mr. McBain tried to ignore the man.
When the two were out in the upper entranceway, a voice became loud and concern for the safety of Mr. McBain was so strong, that Chief Administrative Officer Christine FitzSimons, with approval from Mayor Johnson, advised the panic button be pushed that would alert the OPP help was required.
Mayor Johnson suspended the meeting, advising he wanted to investigate the situation happening just outside the council chamber.
He met up with the disgruntled man just outside the council chamber doors, a few steps and a railing separating the two.
“I asked him to remove himself from the council chambers because of him being disruptive and we do not need to participate in that type of thing.
“He said he would not remove himself, so I called the OPP.”
Upon arrival, one officer spoke to the agitated man outside the township office, while Mayor Johnson spoke with another officer in the entrance hallway. Mayor Johnson said the police gave advice on what to do for the safety of the staff, because they were concerned something may happen.
“We’re going to follow the direction of the OPP at this point,” Mayor Johnson said. “The result of that will be very evident, hopefully at the next meeting.”
He said it could take some time to put safety measures in place. However, for now, Mayor Johnson said staff working late at night, such as for a council or committee meeting, will be checked on to make sure they arrive home safely.
“Because we’re very concerned about the safety of our staff and our councillors, we are now going to do some buddying-up at night and watching each other’s back,” Mayor Johnson said.
He noted he would ensure the safe arrival of CAO FitzSimons to her home while a councillor was going to ensure the safe arrival of Karen Bromley to her home following Wednesday night’s meeting. It was also expected council members would check to ensure they each arrived home safely as well.
Mayor Johnson noted this situation with this man has been going on for some time, as he has attended almost every council and committee meeting. However, the incident during last night’s council meeting “got extremely out of hand.”
Knowing what could happen when people become disgruntled, Mayor Johnson said he felt compelled to have the OPP called.
While he won’t reveal all the recommendations the police provided, he did say it’s a good possibility the man will be asked not to enter onto public property where township employees are working unless it’s a roadway.
Mayor Johnson said this man is involved in a legal situation with the township and has been trying to get information.
“We’re in a lawsuit situation and we have continually told him that he has to go through the lawyers because we are not at liberty to give information out other than through the system that is in place and I believe that could be what set him off.
“I don’t know for sure. I’m not a psychiatrist.”
Another reason for concern with this man, the mayor said is, “We have been experiencing some very odd actions or observing some very strange things coming from an individual that has caused us tremendous concern.”
Mayor Johnson admitted, “He’s been disruptive before, but never to this extent. He crossed the line very heavy this time.”
