A move to create a universal mailing address in Lakeshore has been rescinded by council after pressure from residents worried about losing their community identity.
More than 520-people filled the Atlas Tube Centre for Tuesday night's meeting that became adversarial at times — despite Mayor Tom Bain opening with a statement that Canada Post was open to discussing partial changes.
Not everyone appears to be open to compromise on the @TownofLakeshore mailing address issue. Comber resident Sylvian Gagnier wants it to be stopped and never brought up again. @AM800News #cklw pic.twitter.com/sOUq2iCXCE
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) October 9, 2018
"They can be dealt with while the rest of addresses can all remain the same," says Bain.
Ward 5 Councillor Dan Diemer and Ward 7 Councillor Linda McKinlay claimed it's a power play by Canada Post, not a move to streamline service in Lakeshore.
"If you open that door for Canada Post for one Lakeshore address ... I will guarantee all those post offices will be gone," Diemer.
Ward 1 Councillor Steven Wilder and Ward 9 councillor Len Janisse stood alone, Bain and Deputy Mayor Al Fazio changed their stance and joined Ward 4 Councillor Tracey Bailey, Ward 5 Councillor Dan Diemer and Ward 6 Councillor Linda McKinlay to vote in favour of rescinding the change.
Wilder has a large amount of residents who can't claim they even live in Lakeshore, causing problems from getting items delivered to issues crossing the border as they have to say they're from Windsor or Tecumseh to avoid conflicting with their documents.
He says the majority of those who are most effected didn't want to get involved with what had been a hostile crowd all night.
First resident to step up and explain she has issues getting items delivered to her home, and her licence shows she lives in Tecumseh... but Stella DiNatale lives in Orchard Park off Patillo Rd. in @TownofLakeshore #cklw pic.twitter.com/GRlWPypQxX
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) October 9, 2018
"What they are listening too are the residents that are before them tonight and they're ignoring everyone else," says Wilder.
More than 5,000 signatures on a petition both written and online is also being used as evidence the change is unwanted; something that Wilder pointed out doesn't paint a complete picture for more than 36,000 people.
"I signed one of those petitions, I'll be honest, I did, I signed the online one and the name that I used was Fake Person," he says. "I was able to sign it twice so the legitimacy of that petition, I'll leave it there."
At one point Bailey pled ignorance when it came to issues in Ward 1.
"I'm only aware that there could be some challenges via this discussion," she says. "I certainly haven't been aware of any ongoing, not for 3.5-year's or before that."
A claim Wilder found hard to believe, considering meeting minutes are public record.
"I'm happy to give you the dates and times of the meetings where we discussed it that you apparently weren't at or don't remember," he added.
A motion by Wilder to hold a public meeting to dispel "miss-information" was shot down by Bailey, Diemer, Fazio and McKinlay.
Lakeshore was amalgamated in 1999, 16 towns were absorbed to create the municipality.