Mayor admonishes Wauchope-home letter writers

By Rick Vanderlinde Innisfil Journal Mar 04, 2011 

INNISFIL – Letters chastising the town’s heritage committee and some members of council were out of line, Mayor Barb Baguley says.

Baguley admonished some letter writers lobbying to keep former deputy mayor Gord Wauchope’s home from being registered under the Heritage Act.

Baguley came to the defence of the heritage committee as “hard-working volunteers” who simply did their jobs by telling council the Wauchope home fulfills the requirements of a heritage site.

“When people volunteer for a committee there shouldn’t be suggestions of ulterior motives,” Baguley said at Wednesday’s council meeting. “It actually kind of hurts my feelings to hear these things.”

Letter writer Diane Sykes, who has become a fixture at council meetings, questioned why the heritage committee obtained photos of the house without the Wauchope’s permission.

“I believe they have forgotten or lost all their ethics,” Sykes wrote.

James and Anna Shail suggested some councillors may have a “personal position” in the matter.

Mayor Barb Baguley and Coun. Ken Simpson voted against a plan that keeps the home off the registry for 90 days, but would guarantee the Wauchopes won’t have the house demolished in that time. Council voted 7-2 in favour of negotiating a separate agreement with the Wauchopes.

Jim and Donna Orsatti accused the heritage committee of “bullying” the Wauchopes into having their home registered.

Ken Simpson (not Coun. Ken Simpson), who was part of Gord Wauchope’s campaign team, accused the committee of “strong-arm” tactics in a letter asking council not to register the property.

However, the vast majority of the 31 letters on council’s agenda did not criticize the character of the heritage committee or council. Twenty-two of letters urged council to vote against the committee’s recommendation to register the property.

Deputy Mayor Dan Davidson said he did appreciate letter writers telling him how to vote on the issue before council’s debate.

“I don’t like being told how to vote or people asking me how I’m going to vote. Asking that question is undemocratic,” Davidson said.