Memories of Barrie Mayor Dave Aspden trying to cut a side deal in boundary talks with Innisfil came back to haunt some Barrie councillors this week.

The city is creating a working group to deal with the city’s need for more employment land – and the group is to include the former Barrie-Innisfil Negotiating (BIN) committee.

Aspden was forced to resign, after he overstepped his bounds as chairperson and attempted, on March 21, 2007, to ensure land a developer who donated to his campaign and with whom he travelled to China was included in the proposed land-for-servicing exchange with Innisfil. After that, talks began to falter and eventually failed.

City council subsequently called in the OPP to investigate the mayor’s conduct.

“With regard to the investigation, the mayor was cleared,” said BIN chairperson Coun. Mike Ramsay, who noted protocol dictates the mayor should be included in any negotiating committee or working group.

“Should the mayor be on the committee? Yes. Innisfil has its mayor on its boundary committee. At the county, the warden is on, ex-officio, on their growth committee. Protocol dictates the head of a council must be a member. Whether he is the chairman, that’s for the committee to decide.”

The OPP investigation cleared Aspden of any criminal activity. At the time, however, councillors still questioned whether his actions were ethical.

Ward 6 Coun. Michael Prowse said Aspden shouldn’t be on the committee because he lacks the confidence of council.  

“Approximately 18 months ago on a virtually identical committee, the mayor exceeded council’s direction and his authority,” said Prowse. “I would be a hypocrite if I so strongly opposed his actions then but voted to reappoint him now.”

Ward 7 Coun. John Brassard – who also served on the Barrie-Innisfil committee – agreed with Ramsay that the mayor should be included, but went on to say he likely won’t be its leader.

“The fact that the provincial government continues to be actively engaged in this process dictates as a matter of protocol that the head of council – the mayor – be on this committee. Whether he chairs it or not is another matter,” he said.

“My thought is that it’s important to maintain continuity and the best way to do this is to have a chair who has been involved in the process to this point. The fact is the mayor has not been involved in boundary negotiations since the controversial trip to China until recently.”