A email sent in “frustration” by ex-deputy mayor about the former CAO came up in today’s judicial inquiry hearing during counsel’s questioning of Rick Lloyd.
Lloyd returned to the witness stand this morning, where he faced questions about Kim Wingrove and her termination from her job as CAO of Collingwood.
In an email shown during the hearing, Lloyd writes to Sandra Cooper (mayor at the time) and her brother Paul Bonwick stating he would like to meet to talk about his concerns about Wingrove.
“I have had enough and the lack of ability,” states Lloyd in his email. “I am so pissed and I want to deal with it.”
Lloyd said he doesn’t remember why he was so upset, but he recalls receiving a phone call right away from Cooper “reaming” him out for sending such an email to Bonwick, who was not on staff nor on council at the time.
“Bonwick wasn’t on council, I shouldn’t have included him in the email about a staff person,” said Lloyd during his testimony. “I support staff. We had a weak link here. She was on contract and we terminated her contract – council decided to in the end.”
Associate Inquiry Council John Mather asked Lloyd why he included Bonwick in his email.
“I know that Bonwick did advise his sister somewhat,” responded Lloyd. “It was inappropriate."
Mather asked who put forward the motion in the April 2, 2012 in-camera council meeting to have Wingrove terminated.
“That’s unfair,” said Lloyd. “In the in-camera meeting there are no motions … no doubt I was aggressive about it. I was talking about it..”
Lloyd said he couldn’t recall who suggested it first or who asked for the matter to be included on the agenda.
“Could it have been you?” asked Mather.
“It’s quite possible,” responded Lloyd.
Wingrove testified she was fired by the mayor and deputy mayor on April 3. She said they encouraged her to resign, but she refused. The inquiry Foundation Document states she was given until April 10 to resign. She did not. Further emails and documents show it was reported publicly that Wingrove was taking a week vacation.
An email from Cooper was forwarded to Lloyd stating “Kim is on one week vacation,” and he responded saying “I’m on holidays as well!!! LOL F***ing bulls***.”
The town announced Wingrove was no longer CAO on April 10, 2012.
Lloyd said he had been talking to Ed Houghton, who was the President and CEO of Collus at the time as well as the town’s former director of public works, about taking the CAO position for the town.
Lloyd testified today he remembers Houghton was reluctant to take the job and Lloyd said he worked to convince him to take on the role, also enlisting Bonwick’s help to encourage him to take the job.
In an email to Houghton on April 9 (one day before the town announced Wingrove’s termination, Lloyd writes “It is time the corporation is managed as staff have been doing whatever, but no clear, concise direction will prevail. Glad to see someone finally steering the ship.”
Houghton said he needed to be “officially” given the job “so we can really get on with the work at hand.”
“I don’t think the Mayor has given any thought to when this might happen,” said Houghton to Lloyd via email. “Sandra really needs your full support and guidance because this has been difficult for her and taken quite the toll on her.”
Lloyd responded saying he hoped there would be a press release stating “Ms. Wingrove has resigned,” and Houghton was the interim CAO.
Lloyd stated – in all caps – he would be staying involved on this going forward.
Houghton replied saying “acting” CAO is better than “interim.”
The town did send out a press release announcing the “departure” of Wingrove on April 10. On April 12, council held a special meeting and, during an in-camera portion, voted to appoint Houghton as acting CAO of the town.
During today’s questioning, Mather also asked Lloyd about the bidding process, and showed him a memo from Bonwick to PowerStream containing details about the three other bidder’s presentations made to the Strategic Taskforce (STT) committee assigned to choose a buyer for 50 per cent of Collus shares in 2012.
Bonwick’s memo includes not only details of the presentation, but seems to give information on the impressions of STT members upon receiving the various bidders presentations. PowerStream had not yet made a presentation to the committee.
“Is that the sort of information you thought [Bonwick] would be gathering?” asked Mather.
“If I was on the PowerStream board, I would hope that’s the information he was gathering,” said Lloyd. “I don’t know how much he got. I don’t know how much of it is what he elaborated … I had no idea that he had this information … I’m not concerned about it at all. I don’t think any of it is alarming me.”
Commissioner Frank Marrocco, the judge presiding over the inquiry, asked Lloyd if he thought the STT response to one bidder’s presentation should be disclosed to the bidders who hadn’t presented yet.
“No,” said Lloyd.
Following a break in the hearing, Lloyd returned with more to say on the matter.
“I’m not so sure, and, again, I don’t know, if this information could have been available for others if it was asked for,” said Lloyd.
“But somebody has to go first,” said Marrocco. “So the first person has nothing to ask about … does that seem fair to you?”
“I didn’t go through every aspect,” said Lloyd. “Maybe some of it wasn’t confidential.”
Lloyd has not yet been cross-examined by the rest of the inquiry participants and he will return to the witness stand at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning (May 2). The inquiry hearing resumes today at 2 p.m. with former councillor Ian Chadwick on the witness stand.
The judicial inquiry was called to investigate the events leading up to and including the 2012 share sale of 50 per cent of Collus to PowerStream and the subsequent spending of the funds obtained in the sale. Lloyd was the fourth witness in a list of 28 so far slated to testify in the hearings.
The hearings are open to the public and take place at the town hall council chambers.
