A trusted source has informed the Times that Township CAO Angela Rutley’s employment has been terminated. Because the news was unofficial as of the time of writing, the source wished to remain anonymous. The source further suggested that the Township’s Director of Development Services, Calvin Pol, will be taking over as interim CAO. While the information could not be independently confirmed by deadline, the source explained that the news could be made public as early as October 28 or October 30, meaning that readers may already have access to additional information through official Township announcements by the time of publication.
If officially ratified, the CAO’s termination comes after accusations from multiple sources within the Township, as well as former employees, that the work environment at the Township has been toxic for some time. Accusations were also leveled shortly after the Council walkout that North Dundas has been run undemocratically by the wishes of Mayor Tony Fraser and CAO Rutley alone, rather than on the will of the five elected Council members as a whole.
In another twist, the same trusted source explained to the Times that there is a legal battle taking place with taxpayer money, which upper level Township staff, including Recreation and Culture Director, Meaghan Meerburg, do not want brought to public attention. The source asserted that the Township awarded a contract to a Mississauga based solar company to do work on the roof of the Winchester Arena. After the contract was awarded, and the owner had been paid out on multiple invoices in the $10,000-20,000 range, totaling approximately $260,000, he refused to do the work. The Times learned of the company owner’s name, but it is being withheld pending any legal outcomes. The source who spoke to the Times is disappointed that this issue has not been made public, since it involves taxpayer money.
October 15 Council meeting
Only a few days before the Council walkout that happened on October 11, Council met on Tuesday, October 15 for a “special Council meeting”. The purpose of the meeting – which was scheduled prior to the walkout – was to handle business such as public meetings for zoning bylaw amendment and other such requests.
A requested zoning change came from House of Lazarus, a well-known local charitable organization headquartered in Mountain. The request was for an expansion of the organization’s operations, requiring the conversation of a small parcel of farmland to allow operations such as a thrift store (which already operates adjacent to the subject property), and a food bank (the organization’s former South Mountain food bank suffered a fire in May of 2023).
Also part of the meeting was a request from CAO Angela Rutley to expand the Township’s employee benefits coverage to apply to services provided by social workers, psychotherapists, and clinical counsellors. The suggestion was well received and the motion was approved.
Recreation and Culture Director, Meaghan Meerburg discussed the commencement of construction for the Hallville Community Park, and also asked Council to authorize a funding request from the Ontario Trillium Fund for the project. Other grant money for recreational programs was discussed, and Council was enthusiastic about the possibility of receiving such money.
The next regularly scheduled Council meeting will take place on November 7.
