Threats and accusations overshadowed everything else as tempers flared at Monday night's council meeting in Essex again.
Ward 3 Councillor Larry Snively had it out with Ward 1 Councillor Randy Voakes throughout the meeting after Voakes raised concerns over some councillors taking credit for the initiatives of others. Snively came forward to confirm the comments were directed at him.
Voakes accused him of taking credit for a Mobi-Mat at Colchester Beach that Councillor Sherry Bondy had helped orchestrate — Snively didn't see a problem with taking credit as a team.
"To take credit for something that's done, there's nothing wrong with that. We do it all together and if you're one of those councillors that get it done you should be proud of what you got done," says Snively.
The disagreement was tabled early in the meeting but after a separate debate between Voakes and CAO Donna Hunter, tempers boiled between Snively and Voakes again.
"You're abusive, you abuse our staff," says Snively.
Voakes countered quickly saying, "he doesn't like what I said to him about taking the picture of the Mobi-Mat when he didn't do nothing so he's just rebutting that."
Snively then alleged Voakes, “threatened me at the Mobi-Mat."
A fact Voakes didn't deny in an open council meeting, "yeah, because you deserved it."
Things calmed temporarily, but Voakes immediately accosted Snively after the meeting was adjourned.
An argument over taking credit for other councillors initiatives between Councillors Randy Voakes and Larry Snively continues after
Council adjourned.
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800)"You stand on that Mobi-Mat you get your picture taken when Sherry [Bondy] did all the work on the mat," says Voakes. "I caught you in a lie out there, you're a liar from the day you were born until the day you die, you Larry are a liar."
Accusations came from both sides as Snively claims Voakes threatened to "shut his mouth permanently" at some point previously.
"You threatened me in front of a priest," says Snively.
Voakes, who hadn't denied uttering threats during the meeting, then changed his tune.
"You're lying about that, go get the priest," replied Voakes.
"Donna [Hunter] was there," says Snively.
"I don't care if Donna [Hunter] was there," says Voakes.
"I have a lot of witnesses," says Snively.
The exchange lasted for several minutes, spilling out into the hallway before Voakes stormed out of the building.
Heated discussion on the allegations were tabled during the meeting after Snively called out Voakes for being “abusive” to fellow council members. Full story to come.