Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
CottageCountryNow Article: Deaf camp comments anger Seguin councillor
A statement made by the director of the Ontario Camp of the Deaf has one Seguin Township councillor concerned about his reputation.
Rod Osborne, one of two municipal councillors who said he received a letter from the camp informing him he would be charged with trespassing if he visited the site, said comments made by camp director Derek Rumball implied he might be a danger or threat to kids at the camp.
Rumball has since clarified his statement, explaining that the letters were sent out to those who might oppose certain activities at the site, but Osborne wants more than clarification.
Last week, after the camp put a site plan before council for approval, council members decided to tour the site before making a decision on the proposed changes. Osborne and Coun. Alex Chidley informed council they’d been served trespassing papers, forbidding their entrance to the camp.
Following the meeting, Rumball said the two councillors, along with several other individuals who were given the notice, were told to stay off the property to protect the “best interests and dignity” of camp members - a comment that, according to Osborne, could be taken the wrong way.
Osborne said, after the statement was printed in the October 21 edition of the Beacon Star, he started to get calls.
“I knew I was going to hear from people about (the comments),” he said, noting callers wanted to know what the comment meant.
According to Osborne, the comments carry innuendo, suggesting he represents a risk to campers, when the camp really issued the letter because it associates him with ratepayers who cite environmental and noise concerns at the camp, which hosts controversial motorized sporting events.
When asked why the councillors were served the notices, Rumball said all of the reasons would “come out in the wash.” That, Osborne said, could be interpreted as meaning “there’s more (information) to come.”
Osborne said he considers the statement slanderous, and one that could sully his reputation as an upstanding citizen.
Due to the trespassing papers, Osborne wasn’t able join fellow council members when they visited the camp – a visit he suggested should take place before any decisions were made.
Osborne said he’s only been to the camp once - during another site visit by council last fall to check the camp’s storm water treatment procedures. During the visit the camp was shut down and there were no children present.
“The reason I think I have (the letter) is because I have the Three Lakes Ratepayers Association in my ward,” he said. “They’ve voiced their opinions as to what they think of the camp. Just by association, I’m on the camp blacklist.”
Rumball said Wednesday that he hadn’t meant to imply Osborne is a threat to the children or members of the camp.
“He’s certainly not a threat to anyone at the camp,” he said. “My responsibility as the head of the organization is to look out for the best interests of the children at the camp. Anyone who was served a trespassing notice we feel isn’t looking out for the best interests of the children and members of the camp.”
Rumball said those who were served the papers should already know why they were chosen.
“(Serving the papers) is a result of circumstances they are very much aware of,” he said, noting that his comments were not meant to imply the councillors or any other person who was served is a danger to children. “There is no need to read between the lines here.”
Osborne, however, still isn’t sure why the letter ended up in his hands.
“I’ve done nothing to stop any activities at the camp,” he said. “Providing everything is cool with the environment, as it should be with every other camp, then I wish them well.”
While Mayor David Conn did offer both Chidley and Osborne the opportunity to step out of their October 17 council meeting to discuss the camp’s reasoning behind the trespassing papers with camp representatives, both declined.
Osborne said he wasn’t about to get up and leave the meeting in the middle of discussing official business - for professional reasons.
Osborne said he was prepared to attend the site visit with other members of council, had the terms of his notice been voided during that time, but will now have no option but to vote against the site plan.
He also wants more than a clarification from Rumball – he wants an apology.
Without one, he said, he’ll consider legal action.
A statement made by the director of the Ontario Camp of the Deaf has one Seguin Township councillor concerned about his reputation.
Rod Osborne, one of two municipal councillors who said he received a letter from the camp informing him he would be charged with trespassing if he visited the site, said comments made by camp director Derek Rumball implied he might be a danger or threat to kids at the camp.
Rumball has since clarified his statement, explaining that the letters were sent out to those who might oppose certain activities at the site, but Osborne wants more than clarification.
Last week, after the camp put a site plan before council for approval, council members decided to tour the site before making a decision on the proposed changes. Osborne and Coun. Alex Chidley informed council they’d been served trespassing papers, forbidding their entrance to the camp.
Following the meeting, Rumball said the two councillors, along with several other individuals who were given the notice, were told to stay off the property to protect the “best interests and dignity” of camp members - a comment that, according to Osborne, could be taken the wrong way.
Osborne said, after the statement was printed in the October 21 edition of the Beacon Star, he started to get calls.
“I knew I was going to hear from people about (the comments),” he said, noting callers wanted to know what the comment meant.
According to Osborne, the comments carry innuendo, suggesting he represents a risk to campers, when the camp really issued the letter because it associates him with ratepayers who cite environmental and noise concerns at the camp, which hosts controversial motorized sporting events.
When asked why the councillors were served the notices, Rumball said all of the reasons would “come out in the wash.” That, Osborne said, could be interpreted as meaning “there’s more (information) to come.”
Osborne said he considers the statement slanderous, and one that could sully his reputation as an upstanding citizen.
Due to the trespassing papers, Osborne wasn’t able join fellow council members when they visited the camp – a visit he suggested should take place before any decisions were made.
Osborne said he’s only been to the camp once - during another site visit by council last fall to check the camp’s storm water treatment procedures. During the visit the camp was shut down and there were no children present.
“The reason I think I have (the letter) is because I have the Three Lakes Ratepayers Association in my ward,” he said. “They’ve voiced their opinions as to what they think of the camp. Just by association, I’m on the camp blacklist.”
Rumball said Wednesday that he hadn’t meant to imply Osborne is a threat to the children or members of the camp.
“He’s certainly not a threat to anyone at the camp,” he said. “My responsibility as the head of the organization is to look out for the best interests of the children at the camp. Anyone who was served a trespassing notice we feel isn’t looking out for the best interests of the children and members of the camp.”
Rumball said those who were served the papers should already know why they were chosen.
“(Serving the papers) is a result of circumstances they are very much aware of,” he said, noting that his comments were not meant to imply the councillors or any other person who was served is a danger to children. “There is no need to read between the lines here.”
Osborne, however, still isn’t sure why the letter ended up in his hands.
“I’ve done nothing to stop any activities at the camp,” he said. “Providing everything is cool with the environment, as it should be with every other camp, then I wish them well.”
While Mayor David Conn did offer both Chidley and Osborne the opportunity to step out of their October 17 council meeting to discuss the camp’s reasoning behind the trespassing papers with camp representatives, both declined.
Osborne said he wasn’t about to get up and leave the meeting in the middle of discussing official business - for professional reasons.
Osborne said he was prepared to attend the site visit with other members of council, had the terms of his notice been voided during that time, but will now have no option but to vote against the site plan.
He also wants more than a clarification from Rumball – he wants an apology.
Without one, he said, he’ll consider legal action.