CFN – How do you end up being Mayor of a Municipality and its Insurance broker and what happens if a claim needs be filed?
That’s exactly what happened to South Stormont after a salt shed contaminated water making some residents ill and costing six figures to deal with including communal wells for residents of Osnabruck Centre.
Candidate Jim Bancroft refused to answer questions from CFN regarding this. His reaction was instead to announce at a candidate event that he’d kill advertising to The South Stormont News by the Township. SSN, a local corporation based in Ingleside Ontario advertises the Bulletin including many houses being sent it via Canada Post which is very expensive.
SSN charges the township 20% less than the Seaway News, a Quebec owned newspaper run by the TC Media chain.
Is that serving the public interest? You don’t like a question so you try and hurt a local business that serves the community?
It’s bewildering and clearly shows that he isn’t interested in local small business. In this case SSN supports a graphic artist, delivery people, Canada Post, and is a venue for local contributors and artists.
It’s also the only media company in South Stormont. At least he isn’t as anti-business as Deputy Mayor Hart who is actually campaigning to kill the newspaper.
As publisher of both papers it’s quite bewildering; but then having just come into contact with documents involving the former mayor nothing surprises me.
Research related to ground water contamination that led many residents to have to truck in water and deal with health issues that then Mayor Bancroft decided to protect his insurance position ahead of the interests of tax payers which would again be consistent with his apparent disregard for small business and the community.
As a matter of fact Mr. Bancroft hangs out at candidate Mark Prendergrast’s Fire Prevention company and called Editor Reg Coffey over one day. Mr. Coffey thought he was going to make a sales call for advertising only to have the two gentlemen jokingly ask how SSN got “grants” from the township as they’d like to get some for Mr. Pendergrast’s business too.
This was in reference to the document the Deputy Mayor had spread stating that SSN had asked for loans and start up funds when all it asked for was to publish the Township bulletin at a savings of 20% to the township over what it is currently paying. It was part of what led to Deputy Mayor Hart being dinged four weeks salary by integrity commissioner Robert Swayze; but far less than the alleged $30,000 that taxpayer’s had to pay for the cases brought before him that found Ms Hart guilty each time.
In 2006 :
The Township’s claim is for coverage under the policy or damages resulting from no coverage. Either claim is to be evaluated based upon what would be covered under the policy.
Incurred Recoverable Expenses $101,868.12
Aquterre Future Costs Estimate $215,000.00
Legal Costs $60,000.00
Total Estimated Claim $376,868, 12
It seems like Mr. Bancroft has a history of not caring about not only small business; but the taxpayer’s purse?
In the events connected to the Salt Shed at 4949 County Road 14 it appears that Mr. Bancroft had general knowledge of the issues.
James Bancroft knew enough about Osnabruck Centre complaints that should have stimulated inquiry or advice that might not be covered.
In 2008 Bancroft and insurance companies were released in a settlement of $66,666,00 to the township.
Surely as the broker of record Mr. Bancroft had a responsibility for his client, in this case the township, to make sure the best care was taken?
The township having to settle clearly left taxpayers on the hook.
The question simply is should they give him another chance to control the public purse?
Will you be voting for Jim Bancroft or Tammy Hart or her pet monkey Richard Currier? You can post your comments below.
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I can’t believe that Mr. Bancroft has the nerve to run in this election. At the all candidates meeting, Bancroft talked about having integrity, honesty and accountability. Just another hypocrite corrupt politician. Does he think that the public will not eventually find out about his corrupt insurance scam? This was at the expense of the taxpayers.Bancroft should back out of this election if he had one ounce of integrity at all.This is the biggest conflict of interest case that I’ve ever heard of.
I remember when Tammy Hart erected billboards against him in a previous election. Now it appears that they’re running together. They both are more interested about killing a newspaper than running a township. Bancroft, Hart and her trained monkey Currier offered nothing in their speeches that would benefit South Stormont. Just critized the good work the Mayor and council done over the years. I am sure South Stormont administration is hoping that these idiots don’t get elected. I pray that this bunch of misfits don’t get voted in because this Township will go down the tubes. IT’S UP TO YOU THE VOTERS