A Windsor resident has filed a complaint with the city's Integrity Commissioner against the mayor.
Dee Sweet says there's more to the fight between Windsor Regional Hospital officials and the Citizens for an Accountable Mega Hospital Planning Process or CAMPP.
Sweet believes the issue of the hospital's proposed location on County Rd. 42 and the 9th Concession has become so politicized that the rezoning of 400-hectares for residential development has fallen by the wayside.
She says her complaint stems from a news conference hosted by Drew Dilkens on May 17.
"I feel, at that time, he was extremely misleading. He stood there in front of those people and perpetuated the myth that it's all about the Windsor Regional Hospital versus CAMPP. It's about the development of the Sandwich South property and he never took responsibility for that," says Sweet.
She believes there's a hidden motive to hand the land over to developers.
"What if that is rezoned and there's no hospital? On what grounds is he saying there's a hospital? So I guess I go back to the mayor, he is supposed to be the elected leader, but the May 17 press conference put me right at the top of the mountain," says Sweet.
She says she also reached out to Dilkens several times via email, claiming the only response she received was a link to the Integrity Commissioner's office.
Sweet says she just wants some clarity for all Windsor-Essex residents.
"All I wanted was for him to say, 'this rezoning is about 400-hectares. It actually has nothing to do with CAMPP or the hospital.' What if we rezone this and there's no hospital? And we're going to have this unattached neighbourhood out in the middle of nowhere," she says.
CAMPPĀ is fighting to have a new hospital built near downtown Windsor, with the issue currently before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.
Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens discusses the city's 2019 budget on April 1, 2019 (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
But Dilkens isn't worried about the action, saying he welcomes any investigation.
"The complainant is someone who is well known to members of council. I don't shy away from the Integrity Commissioner complaint process. I never have. In fact, I put my hand up to support it. I've been here for 13 years, so we'll let the process play out and I look forward to the report from the Integrity Commissioner," he says.
Dilkens is also confident he's done nothing wrong.
"In due course, I would expect the Integrity Commissioner would reach out, ask me for a comment or to review the material that she's alleging that there's a violation of and have a conversation with me and then make his determination," he says.
Sweet formally filed her complaint Friday, but has not received a response.