IS SANDY SHANTZ HOLDING THE MAYOR'S CHAIR ILLEGALLY?

It would be even more shocking than it is except that she's already done exactly that from March 27/15, the filing deadline for Financial Statements and Auditors Reports until Thursday, July 23/15, the date that Justice David Broad reinstated her to the mayor's chair. She had forfeited her position automatically when she failed to file her Reports by the legal deadline of March 27/15, imposed by the Municipal Election Act (MEA).

Justice Broad wrote both an Endorsement and a Judgement on July 23/15. The Judgement is quite specific and quite clear. It uses the term "full and complete Financial Statement and Auditor's Report" in four of the seven numbered paragraphs, namely paragraph's 1, 2, 3, and 6. These paragraphs set out one of the major conditions that Sandy Shantz had to satisfy in order to be reinstated as mayor of Woolwich Township. In addition paragraph 6 also states the following "...the Applicant (Sandy Shantz) shall file ... all expenses incurred during the campaign period (from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014)...".

I will quote paragraph 3 in its' entirety as it deals with the automatic forfeiture. The other paragraphs deal with things like extending the filing deadline, ordering the Municipal Clerk to accept the new "full and complete" Statements and also ordering that a Supplementary Financial Statement be included. Paragraph 3 states "This Court Orders that, upon filing with the clerk the full and complete Financial Statement and Auditor's Report prior to the close of the extended filing period, the Applicant shall not be subject to any forfeiture or penalty imposed pursuant to sections 80(1) and 80(2) of the Municipal Elections Act".

Based upon the Judgement of Justice David Broad as well as both past expenses not declared as well as new expenses just recently uncovered and sent on to the Crown prosecuter this past Monday, it is my opinion that Sandy Shantz is not the legally constituted mayor of Woolwich Township. I will be sending copies of this writeup today to Woolwich's CAO, Woolwich Councillors and the media.