Lakeshore Advance, 2013-03-13, Page 7Wednesday, March 13, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 7
Seaforth playwright says Stompin' Tom a man he expected to be around forever
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 1
Scott formed a close bond
with the Canadian icon while
writing a play chronicling
Stompin' Tom's childhood in
Skinner's Pond, PEI and his
musical career that began at age
15 when he strapped a guitar to
his back and headed across
Canada, earning a name and a
living.
"I spoke to hint in January,
just before he turned 77 and he
told me then that his health
wasn't the best. But, he still
sounded full of life," says Scott,
adding he had hoped to make
one of his annual visits to
•'onnors' home in the next little
.vhile.
"Ile was a really important
person to me. It was a real hon-
our to know him and learn
firsthand about his story and to
be able to share it. His death is a
real loss for Canada, Canadian
culture and music," he says.
Scott was inspired to write a
play about Stompin' Tom after
reading his biography during a
visit to the family cottage. While
his first attempt to contact the
Canadian legend went
unanswered, Scott persisted,
sending off a rough copy of the
first act and was rewarded with
a phone call at his home that his
family initially thought was a
prank call. The 'big, deep voice"
on the answering machine was
really Stompin' Tom.
"Ile could be intimidating
because he's a shoot from the
hip guy who's extremely well
read and intelligent. Ile's an
historian, a businessman and a
musician rolled into one and he
doesn't suffer fools gladly so
you'd better know what you're
talking about and not waste his
time," says Scott.
Scott fondly remembers long
visits into the night at Connors'
home when Stompin' Tom
drank warts Moosehead beer
out of the case but would serve
cold beer out of the fridge for
visitors.
"I grabbed him many a beer,"
he says. "Ile was a total night
hawk from his years of playing
in bars. it was his routine to stay
up all night, go to bed at 6 a.m.
and sleep until the late after-
noon. If you went to visit, you
knew it was going to be a long
visit."
Scott says Connors liked to
talk about serious topics like
politics and religion but would
just as often pull out his guitar
and sing if the conversation
turned to a particular song.
'There were also games of darts,
pool or chess between them.
Scott sent'Ibm Ir. a message of
condolence as soon as he heard
the news and planned to attend
the memorial service in Peter-
borough's Memorial Centre
today (March 13) at 7:30 p.m.
„Ile was the number one
defender of Canadian musicians
and artists. 1 le was a very princi-
pled guy. 1 le didn't sell out - he
stuck to his guns," says Scott
about the time Stompin' Tom
returned six Janos to express his
frustration about what he saw as
the Americanization of the Cana-
dian music industry.
"1 le paved the way for a lot of
Canadian musif'ians. Ile did the
hard slogging to create an easier
and more respected road for
Canadians;' says Scott.
"1'11 miss hits. 1 loved spend-
ing time with hits. 111 make the
trip to Peterborough and listen
to Stompin' Tom all the way," he
says.
Dave Scott and Stompin' Tom Connors
submitted
12,160.90 to two legal firms for Byrne departure
Lambton Shores spent over
$12,000 just in legal fees to remove
the former CAO from his job. And
that doesn't include a severance
package negotiated for John
Byrne.
On Nov. 13, council met for what
was to be a performance review of
then CAO John Byrne's work. The
meeting ended with Byrne sus-
pended and being escorted from
the meeting room. By December,
council announced Byrne had
been fired with the municipality
"moving in a new direction."
The firing of the long -titre (;AO
angered residents and caused
many to ask what the council
would have to spend on the move.
While Mayor Bill Weber says the
contents of Byrne's separation
agreement won't be released due
to a confidentiality clause, the legal
costs are now coming to light.
Acting CA() Janet Ferguson con-
firms $12,160.90 has been paid to
two legal firms to deal with human
resources issues surrounding
Byrne's departure. The bulk of the
fees, $10,747.71, were paid to the
London firm Siskinds.
Ferguson says there will not be
any more legal fees coming for
step one- appoint an Integrity Commlssloner
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 2
presented at the March 4th
meeting by clerk Carol
McKenzie was "remarkable"
and they were setting a prec-
edent. Ile said he is the com-
plaln tent and the defendant.
Ile said he would like the
council to review his coin -
plaint but was told the proc-
ess dictates once it is filed for
the Integrity Commission- it
is secret. McKenzie suggested
many of the council mem-
ber's queries could be asked
to the person appointed to
this job. He wanted to know
the difference between secret
and public. McKenzie sug-
gested they defer that discus-
sion until he/she comes.
Bonesteel asked if there was clarification on. McKenzie said this was
an appeal process. it was
established that if the IC feels
the complaint is frivolous, that
is the end of it. The person
could certainly ask again.
McKenzie said the IC could
tell them the process because
they have experience. The
clerk was also asked if an indi-
vidual council member could
complain against another
member and what would be a
reasonable time frame from
complaint to resolution. Dep-
uty -mayor Elizabeth Davis-
Dagg asked if the clock starts
running now or could there
be complaints about past
happenings. Mayor 13111 Weber
said that would be something
else they could get
all new as there had never been an issue
before. During the public discussion
portion of the meeting Dave Clark of
ipperwash asked why this council
needed an Integrity Commission to
SIMON 1)ESJARl)iNE
('FP, ('LU, RiUC, EPC
('rrry/ird Financial Mann'''.
('harfrrrd ' pr ('ndrrw rifrr
55 Ontario tit. N. (.rand Bend
• Investment Funds • RRSI"s
• Insurance • Mortgages
"in Rusin« .ling l iter 2000, Our pnccion ,,ur Iurct«,"
Si 1;411.1 N(;
Byrne's removal; however lawyers
are being consulted on another
human resources issue which will
be billed for in the future.
The bill will take a significant bite
out of the municipality's legal
budget. '[he 2013 budget sets aside
$50,000 in legal fees for the entire
year. Lambton Shores budgeted
$:32,000 for legal fees but spent
more than double that amount.
come in. "Isn't this council integral'?" he
asked. t)nderwood quipped, "You have
not been here for the past two years."
Grand Bend resident Glen Baillie
asked if they would be making sure the
(r
Meantime, accounts from the
March 4 meeting show a confiden-
tial payment of an unlisted amount
made Jan. 31, 2013. In the past,
council has also approved confi-
dential payments, but a dollar
figure is attached to the reporting.
Ferguson would not say if the Janu-
ary confidential cheque was the
payment for Byrne's package, cit-
ing confidentiality reasons.
selection of the Integrity Commission
was not a solicitor already familiar with
council or that any of them had worked
with. Ile was assured the process would
be transparent.
7
Hall's Automobile Reconditioning
Spth$ciat
1 WINDOW TINTING
10% off already low price
I Regular price - 4 door car - $220 12 front windows $90
Call Bill May 519-262-3342
61 Brock St, Nensall
COUPON EXPIRES APRIL 30, 2013