CORNWALL Ontario – In a bizarre act of election machinations the Seaway News has run a story based on an unnamed source regarding the Diane Shay case.
A source has confirmed the details are in relation to a $425,000 lawsuit launched against the city by Diane Shay, who was a nurse at the Glen-Stor-Dun Lodge.
The source added the city is hoping for a settlement that is slightly less, but wants to set the bar at $250,000. Councillors must agree to the move.
Well the source would have to be one of the councilors, mayor, or CAO or legal and the odds of that happening would be…well this is Cornwall; but surely if one of those parties are the source this would be a dark day in the city’s history, and proof that there might need to be an investigation of the controls of private city information. Â A closed door meeting has been scheduled for this afternoon and Councilor Samson has scheduled a press conference for 4 PM.
The timing of the article, a week before the election, hands a darker shadow over the event.
CFN contacted Diane Shay who was totally unaware of any discussions. Â She cited city legal reps asking about mediation, but that she was unaware of any current negotiations and that such an offer would barely cover her legal bills and lost wages up until now. Â She also stated wanting to have her day in court, although didn’t rule out doing what’s best for all parties involved.
Could this be a desperate council trying to pave over a scandal before an election?
What do you think Cornwallites? Â You can post your comments below.
Photo: Jason McNamara
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Surprise, surprise….
No sooner do I mention this case probably won’t go to court and this happens.
If Diane Shay says she wants her day in court then she won’t accept ant offer to settle. But is she prepared for the financial and emotional toll this will take on her?
The city should just do the right thing and they can prevent further scandal by being good representatives for the city of Cornwall. Attempting to cover things up with a small price tag just makes them out to be devious, uncaring, underhanded politicians who are only out for themselves. Cornwall doesn’t need that. They need people who really care about the community, who are always ready to do the right thing, and can help turn this city around. Politicians are supposed to be like “It’s not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”! It doesn’t often happen like that though. People like this will never gain my vote, and if I can see this just imagine how many other feel the same way…
I no why you Jamie didn,t get the scoop first.But i don,t understand why the Freeholder wasn,t informed first.Why the Cornwall Seaway News?At this point i don,t believie its to silents Mrs.Shay its to late for that.But to make the city officials look good in the publics eye .Of course she will not except the lowball figure they will provide.So now many people will say shes just greedy and its only the money she,s after.It,s all ways the same public responses dicitate most out comes.Good luck Mrs Shay but be carefull
I think this is more smoke that story. I can’t believe they’re pulling this a week before the election if it’s true.
I also predict that the City will probably attempt to offer Diane a financial settlement on the condition she signs a confidentiality agreement. (Cash = shut up).
It surprises me too that the city is pulling this a week before the election.
For ALL city meetings, even closed door ones, doesn’t the public have to be notified ahead of time? Or is that just a matter of interpretation of “proper notice?”
Mrs. Bucket that’s usually how it works although there usually is a premium paid for that. Diane has earned whatever she gets, but all of these monies are a waste of our tax dollars with zero value. All to protect some very bad people that should have been terminated or prosecuted instead of “retired”.
Hugger the city did issue a release to media including CFN.
I hope Diane Shay sticks to her guns and gets her day in court. That way some of the things the city has done will be revealed.
Hugger the problem is that it’ll be too late for this election. There will be no accountability of any of the incumbents that may get re-elected.
How much notice is the city required to give?
While I agree with you about the accountability it sucks. Incumbents should not be able to hide behind the “it was the previous council” rouse.
Hugger not much and that’s fair if the meeting is legitimate. IF, and if is the key word in this sentence, the city is dealing with an offer for Ms Shay then that would be handled in camera.
The city (you can put any name you like in her instead of “city”) and council should not be able to pull these meetings out of thin air just so it appears they are doing something to settle a matter. And a week before the municipal election!!!
Did you ever try and tell the Mafia that they couldn’t do something? Well Cornwall City Council is the “Mafia” and will never be told what to do!
Why does the Seaway News describe Diane Shay as a former nurse at the lodge? (Quote from the lead: A former nurse at the Glen-Stor-Dun Lodge in Cornwall…)
She is an RN but was the City’s Health and Safety Officer, with responsibility for many different services, including EMS. GSDL was only one of her responsibilities. When Shay found out that Donna Derouchie failed to report the crime committed against a resident Shay stepped in and ensured lawful protocol was followed.
The only thing City Hall should be doing before the election is apologizing, to both Diane Shay and the general public.
Well said M.A. Parkhurst. Unfortunately “Apologizing” was also outlawed by council years ago. (They figured this ultimately admitted guilt)
I wouldn’t be holding my breath for that apology. I am not convinced that any of the current council members can read or write let alone have the basic understanding of simple right and wrong. Dysfunctional is a kind term to describe this small group of little people.
All the mayor buddies have cost this city alot of money, and embarassement making the city looking dumber than ever.These people are exposing there culture at there best,they have alot of gaul.
When there is a payout you know very well where the guilt comes from. I hope that that Diane Shay sticks to her guns and goes to court. These no good for nothings have to be punished and lose their jobs over that. Ever since Bare Ass and his gang of thugs came in there has been nothing but one scandal after another that has cost taxpayers plenty of money and hell to go through. They all must lose their jobs and be jailed for what they did. They did the same thing to Mr. Rob Menaugh to keep quiet and God knows how many others as well. Anybody who is on Bare Ass’s side should never be put in as councellor at all whatsoever. Get rid of bad rubbish once and for all to the dump.
The thing is that if this goes to court they can only rule on the case (civil & monetary) put before the court. They cannot rule on who is to blame, fire people, rehire peopleetc.
Sounds as though we are forgetting that the cover up started when the incident happened. Politically trying to sweep it under the rug quietly is not a surprise, is it now?
A nurse paid a heavy price to speak truth and I believe there is nothing wrong with “the city” paying for a mistake that was made under the umbrella of its “employees”. So let’s understand that mistakes are made, admit to it, and just be the big person in a good way, rather than doing it in a sneaky manner and look like a fool. Let’s get on with it.
@NurseKim…the unfortunate dilemma that is Cornwall’s cross to bear is that we keep voting the same way hoping for something different to come from it. This however is one of the definitions of stupidity. Expecting that our current band of fools act in an above board and appropriate manner falls within the same category I believe. When faced with the truth a chronic liar either says nothing or digs a bigger hole to bury the truth in. The silence from our current council members has been deafening.
Perhaps we should reward them all on voting day and give them yet another opportunity to come clean with us, the taxpayers of Cornwall.
Nurse Kim this isn’t some small mistake this is mighty serious stuff and you just don’t wish things to go away you have to deal with the problem or else it will haunt you forever. Mrs. Shay came forward and is a mighty brave woman and her job disappeared because she spoke the truth. Rob Menaugh accepted a pay out so as to keep his mouth shut and so did others like Paul Fitzpatrick, Denise Labelle Gelinas and others. Money isn’t going to do away with the guilt – that is dirty money and the taxpayers have to come good for all of that. Diane Shay’s lawyers cost a bundle to pay for and the city is going to have to come good. Cornwall is known for everything bad and has a mighty black reputation throughout Canada, the US and everywhere else. It is way past the time to correct everything and throw Bare Ass and his thugs out of office pronto before they do anymore screw ups. If you had a monkey at the helm at mayor the monkey would have done a much better job than Bare Ass.
The city is now trying to get Diane Shay to pay the city’s legal bill for a motion heard in April 2016, for $15,000.
Although in the 2014 election campaign the now Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy made this statement that, “this case needs to go to court, the truth needs to be told, and it should not be done at her expense.”
So much for Leslie O’Shagnasty’s word.
Stan Cornhole is a “mafia” and that is exactly true and one that I menioned sometime before. Cornhole is run as a dictatorship and mafia and it isn’t a place for good people to live. Lez got in by lying to the public and those lies are coming back to haunt him. You lie and something is going to happen to you. Cornhole is a very bad place to live.
Diane Shay is a mighty good woman and I feel so sorry for the hell that she has and is enduring. Cornhole is a very horrible place to live and work and not for good people at all. God Bless you Diane Shay. I really hope that you win Diane – I didn’t leave Cornhole for nothing.
It has the appearance that Cornwall’s mayor and council has likely been successful in seeing that the legal system claims success over what was right. All in the name of protecting the taxpayer from having to pony up for city hall politics and unethical public officials. Go Cornwall go! Don’t we have lots to brag about around the horseshoe, eh boys and girls?
As a taxpayer I’d like to see this nonsense stopped. The city should offer Diane Shay and the other whistleblowers before the courts a deal. It would probably actually save us money. But heaven forbid Les and his crew do what is right for the whistleblowers and the taxpayers. This crap has been going on far too long.
You’ve all seen the slogan “Farmers Feed Cities”…
Well, “CITIES FEED LAWYERS”.
If the “so called mayor” and his gang of misfits did not want to dish out money to people like Diane Shay and others all they had to do was to prevent their nurses and other staff from battering the elderly. Who in their right frame of mind wants to put their parents, grandparents, etc. in the hands of those who batter their loved ones. Like Cornhole’s reputation “a complete cover up”.