Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BarrieToday.com

If you missed Springwater Township’s first council meeting of the new year on Wednesday night, you missed a beauty.

The season debut of what some locals have dubbed the ‘The Jerry Springwater Show’ had everything a premiere needs to draw a huge audience — drama, conflict, intrigue, suspense and some good old-fashioned name-calling.

For good measure, Springwater council actually made a decision to move the business of the township forward.

And that was just what spilled over from the closed-session meeting council had before the township’s normal council meeting was scheduled to begin.

Alas, worn out from the previous debate, council opted to cancel the regularly scheduled meeting after spending an inordinate amount of time discussing the closed-session topic — invoices from legal firm Loopstra Nixon for most of November.

As council emerged from the closed-session portion of its meeting, Coun. Brad Thompson put a motion on the floor to make Loopstra Nixon’s statement of account public, along with any future invoices from the firm.

“We’ve made everything available to the public in an effort to be open and transparent,” Thompson said. “So I see this is no different. I think the public would be interested in this, as I think it’s their money and they have a right to know and deserve to know.”

In Thompson’s view, the invoices should be posted to the City of Barrie proposed boundary adjustment page on the township’s website, just like every other piece of correspondence that was directed to be placed on the webpage through a decision of council months prior.

The invoices in question are for work done after Springwater Mayor Jennifer Coughlin fired the legal firm using strong mayor powers on Nov. 8.

In a Dec. 11 letter to Rob Flack, minister of municipal affairs and housing, Coughlin sought his advice on how to deal with the following invoices:

• Nov. 8 — Resolution strategy
• Nov. 9 — Drafting and preparing resolution of council
• Nov. 9 — Telephone conversation with “township people” to review press reports
• Nov. 9 — Revisions to resolution and drafting resolution
• Nov.10 — Telephone conference with councillor to review resolution
• Nov. 11 — Telephone conference with councillor
• Nov. 18 — Telephone conference with a member of council
• Nov. 19 — To review draft correspondence and update to council
• Nov. 25 — Telephone conference with councillor.

“Upon review, I noted several entries that raise concern,” Coughlin wrote in her letter to Flack. “Specifically, the account includes charges for what appears to be conversations between individual members of council and representatives of Loopstra Nixon.

“These entries appear inconsistent with our engagement protocol and were not directed or approved by our chief administrative officer,” she added. 

Thompson’s motion wasn’t roundly supported.

Deputy Mayor George Cabral and Councillors Danielle Alexander, Anita Moore and Phil Fisher said they thought it was “premature,” “irresponsible” and “inappropriate” to post the information.

“Typically, I would agree with you, Coun. Thompson,” Fisher began. “You know, being transparent is certainly something I would champion.

“However, I feel that this matter hasn’t been dealt with fully in closed session, so I could not support it now and I actually think it’s inappropriate to be putting it forward at this point,” he added. 

Fisher said the township didn’t have all of the facts of the billing, the detailed information, so he was not in favour.

Cabral, Moore and Alexander were of the same mind.

Coughlin and Garwood were supportive of Thompson’s motion. They said the township released all other information related to Barrie’s boundary expansion proposal as it arrived, and this should be no different.

“We were very consistent in doing that,” she said. “We made it public as soon as it became available, so this could just be another opportunity for us, as it becomes available to us, to make it public.”

The debate grew more intense before a comment from Garwood blew the top off.

“I’ve never seen so many people trying to run around and find a way to not release information,” he said.

“Point of order,” Alexander shouted. “Do not assume that the way some people are trying to fully understand the information and not make a decision that they can’t back up is because I’m trying to hide something. That is inappropriate.”

She then turned to Thompson, who was giggling, and chastised him.

“Stop laughing,” she demanded. “Coun. Thompson, when we talk about decorum, that is not appropriate.”

At that point, all hell broke loose.

Alexander stomped out of the council chambers.

Cabral and Coughlin had a face-to-face.

Fisher walked out, but not before calling Thompson “a jerk.”

Garwood, who was calling in from home, was left on virtual hold — trying to finish his comment while appearing on screen.

Moore just sat and watched.

Coughlin had obviously had enough and called for a break.

“I do apologize for not being able to hold the decorum in this chamber,” she said, obviously embarrassed by what had just gone down. “I would think that this would be a group effort, but it clearly is not.

“We will return in 15 minutes,” the mayor added. 

When they came back, council voted on an amendment to Thompson’s original motion that would see invoicing for all legal firms and consultants used during the Barrie boundary adjustment matter be released once they are paid, in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPA).

The amendment passed.

Thompson’s motion was then presented.

“Council hereby direct that Loopstra Nixon LLP invoices to date be made publicly available along with any future invoicing and communication on the matter in accordance with the Freedom on Information Act,” it stated. “That invoicing from all legal firms and consultants utilized during the City of Barrie boundary adjustment matter, including the decisions made regarding the City of Barrie boundary adjustment matter be released in accordance with MFIPA and that the release be provided once invoices in question are paid.”

Council voted unanimously in favour of the motion.

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