(BlackburnNews.com file photo by Jason Viau)(BlackburnNews.com file photo by Jason Viau)
Windsor

Tecumseh Councillor Cleared Over Leaf Brouhaha

A Tecumseh town councillor hopes he and the rest of council can move forward now that the Integrity Commissioner has dismissed a complaint about a leaf disposal program.

Mike Rohrer says he found himself in hot water after he paid out of pocket to distribute a flyer suggesting residents angry about the program's elimination should call the councillors who voted to cut it.

"Keep in mind, this was a line item within our budget that was approved at a public process a few months earlier," says Rohrer of last summer's meeting when council voted to cut the program.

Rohrer says he asked for a two-week deferral so the public would be able to comment, but was shut down. That's when he told council he would send the flyer out.

When the flyer went door-to-door, some councillors demanded a public apology from Rohrer.

"I told them I would resign before I apologized," he says. "I don't see why we wouldn't want transparency."

Integrity Commissioner Robert Swayze confirms the complaint has been dealt with but refused to comment further.

Rohrer says his concern was never over the leaf disposal program, which saved the town $14,000. He says it's about openness on town council.

"People were outraged that they did not know about it."

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