The debate over Windsor BIAs supporting the Citizens for an Accountable Mega-hospital Planning Process and its appeal against the proposed mega hospital site will have to wait another week.
In a surprise move Monday night, council opted to defer the issue to next week's meeting to allow for more discussion between city administration and the BIAs.
Several Windsor BIAs have made pledges or donations to CAMPP to support its fight against a plan to put the new hospital on County Rd. 42 — something Mayor Drew Dilkens says is a violation of the Municipal Act.
"Our city solicitor says that the contributions to CAMPP by the BIAs was illegal, according to the Municipal Act, and I want those BIA heads to at least have the information that we have so they have an opportunity to understand where we're coming from and then gain compliance."
He says the act outlines what a BIA can and cannot do.
"It talks specifically about what the roles of the BIA is. It grants them certain powers and a donation to a third party appeal of a zoning matter elsewhere in the city we don't believe is in those allowances."
Dilkens adds rules were broken and there needs to be repercussions.
"If any individual business owner or tenant or whoever wants to donate to a third party appeal of a zoning matter, they're welcome to do that. The distinction here is that the BIA is set up by city council, it's given certain powers under the Municipal Act and the belief here, from our side, is that they've crossed the line with respect to those powers."
Dozens of BIA representatives were at Monday night's council meeting prepared to defend their stance — all were caught off guard by the deferral.
Downtown Windsor BIA chair Brian Yeomans speaks with reporters at a Windsor City Council meeting on May 27, 2019 (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
Downtown Windsor BIA chair Brian Yeomans says they're open to hearing the city's side.
"We were prepared. Everybody was here, all the BIAs came out and to see a deferral at the eleventh hour was kind of a surprise. If they want to speak their side to us, I'm open to listening to what they have to say."
Wyandotte Town Centre BIA chair Wade Griffith says more dialog is definitely needed.
"I do see it as a positive, the fact that council does want to sit down ahead of time, sit down and show the allegations as well as sit down with the city attorneys to show exactly what it is that their concerns are. Maybe we can alleviate them with a simple conversation."
Wyandotte Town Centre BIA chair Wade Griffith speaks with reporters at a Windsor City Council meeting on May 27, 2019 (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
Via Italia BIA vice chair Pietro DiPonio says he would have liked to see any discussions happen weeks ago.
"If the administration had concerns on this subject, they certainly could have met with or discussed this with the BIAs before now and we think it's overdue, but we're happy to talk to them. We can talk about the various opinions that exist around this issue."
Over the next week, city administration will meet with each BIA individually to discuss any possible Municipal Act violations.
The BIA budgets will be debated at council's June 3 meeting.