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Springwater council docks mayor three months’ pay in 2019 charges

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In Council Watch
Oct 23rd, 2020
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Mayor Don Allen

Don Allen pleaded guilty to driving without due care, attention or consideration for other people in July

By Chris Simon Simcoe.com

An incident that landed Springwater Township Mayor Don Allen in legal hot water last year will also make his wallet a bit lighter.

Council has suspended Allen’s remuneration for three months in connection with a code-of-conduct complaint filed to the township’s then-integrity commissioner, Principles Integrity, in early July 2019. The complaint, lodged by councillors Anita Moore, Jack Hanna and George Cabral, stems from an incident involving Allen at the County of Simcoe Warden’s golf tournament, held at Vespra Hills Golf Club on June 26, 2019.

Council’s decision actually goes against the Principles recommendation.

“I accept the recommendation in the report, that it is not in the public interest to recommend any sanctions; justice has been served,” Allen said during the Oct. 21 council meeting. “There’s no evidence and no findings that I have breached the code of conduct. I did not do what was alleged. This incident has caused a great deal of stress for me and my family, in addition to personal expense to defend myself. Despite all of this, I hope and encourage all of us to put this matter behind us.”

The seven-page report by Principles noted staff at the club observed Allen, who was representing the township at the tournament, having difficulty keeping his balance. He also apparently refused to allow employees to take his keys and arrange an alternative ride home, “loudly and repeatedly” identified himself as the mayor in an effort to convince staff not to report the incident, and drove away in his Toyota Prius shortly before 10 p.m. with the headlights off.

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One Response to “Springwater council docks mayor three months’ pay in 2019 charges”

  1. Bill French says:

    I was surprised that the Mayor provided a prepared statement at the last Council Meeting that seems to contradict information in the Integrity Commissioner Report that was tabled. If the Mayor is allowed to table his prepared statement at the next Council Meeting as part of the public record with his Notice of Motion, then it would be appropriate that all witness statements be published and the populace can decide who is actually telling the truth. If the Mayor wants this to go away, can i suggest he simply apologizes to his Council Colleagues and his constituents for the unfortunate incident.

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