chicot60
02-11-2011, 12:50 AM
By Chris Thompson and Frances Willick, Postmedia News
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/4257758.bin
Jim Turner, 68, holds a placard during a protest outside Amherstburg town hall Thursday morning.
AMHERSTBURG, Ont. — A convicted pedophile who paid $105,000 for the right to have his name on the baseball scoreboard and road leading to Amherstburg's new recreation complex says he'll be holding the town to its agreement after council decided to return his money and void the naming rights Thursday.
"I have legal documentation even if they give me my money back," said Jim Massen at his ramshackle home shortly after council announced its decision Thursday morning.
"They still have to name it after me because it's signed by three people. What more do you want? It's signed by three people . . . (Chief Administrative Officer) Pam Malott and the mayor and all."
The town held an early-morning emergency meeting Thursday, a day after the Windsor Star revealed that Massen — who donated $50,000 to the town's Rotary Club to have his name on the scoreboard for the new Miracle League baseball diamond, and gave $55,000 to the town to put his name on the road leading to the complex — was a convicted pedophile.
About 15 residents gathered in the lobby of town hall while councillors, administration and town lawyer Ed Posliff conferred behind closed doors. After meeting for about 75 minutes, Mayor Wayne Hurst allowed the residents and media into the council chamber before making a statement.
"The council for the Town of Amherstburg has dealt with this particular matter and we have deemed that it is no longer in the best interests of the Town of Amherstburg and the council for the Town of Amherstburg to accept money for the naming rights from this individual," said Hurst.
"We have made our decision, based on the advice of our solicitor. As you may or may not know we are in a very litigious society and certainly I'm not wanting to get my municipality involved in something unnecessarily."
Hurst refused to answer more questions.
Massen pleaded guilty in 1990 to two counts of gross indecency and one count of invitation to sexual touching involving three teenage boys. He was later granted a pardon.
In November 2008, council voted in favour of purchasing 70 acres from Massen for $406,000. The deal also gave Massen a rent-free, tax-free place to live for the rest of his life.
A request to Posliff for copies of the contract with Massen for the naming rights and the original agreement that saw Massen sell his farmland to the town for the complex was referred to town CAO Pam Malott, who did not respond to the Star.
While council was asked not to speak publicly on the issue, Diane Pouget, who was voted back on council last fall after a 13-year hiatus, wanted to point out she was the sole councillor to vote against the bylaw when it came up at the first meeting after the election.
"I voted against it for the reason that we were told that it was just a formality, that it was just a contractual agreement that was signed by our previous council, and so therefore I asked to see a copy of that agreement before I voted, it wasn't available, and I felt the bylaw was too ambiguous, it didn't state clearly exactly what we were naming," said Pouget.
"I had received complaints and concerns regarding this matter."
Pouget said "everyone who lived in Amherstburg" was aware of Massen's past.
For those concerned residents who showed up to demonstrate, the decision was met with applause when it was announced.
Gord Freeman, a town former councillor, said he's happy council reversed itself but that questions remain.
"It's the only thing they could do, which is giving the money back and taking the names down," said Freeman.
"However, who did it? Who is responsible for this in the first place? The mayor and the CAO, who intimidated the rest of them to vote for this on the new council. Somebody needs to take the blame for this. It's a wonderful structure and it's something Amherstburg should be proud of, but these stupid mistakes they keep making because they will not listen to the public and they call everybody naysayers and this is what we get. This is terrible."
Longtime resident Jim Turner brought a sign that read: No convicted pedophile's name on my arena!
"I'm here today because of this arena and this pedophile, his name is on it and I think it's going to disgrace this wonderful facility," said Turner.
Read more:
http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Convicted+pedophile+vows+fight+name+sports+complex/4258665/story.html#ixzz1DbgbAwCP
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/4257758.bin
Jim Turner, 68, holds a placard during a protest outside Amherstburg town hall Thursday morning.
AMHERSTBURG, Ont. — A convicted pedophile who paid $105,000 for the right to have his name on the baseball scoreboard and road leading to Amherstburg's new recreation complex says he'll be holding the town to its agreement after council decided to return his money and void the naming rights Thursday.
"I have legal documentation even if they give me my money back," said Jim Massen at his ramshackle home shortly after council announced its decision Thursday morning.
"They still have to name it after me because it's signed by three people. What more do you want? It's signed by three people . . . (Chief Administrative Officer) Pam Malott and the mayor and all."
The town held an early-morning emergency meeting Thursday, a day after the Windsor Star revealed that Massen — who donated $50,000 to the town's Rotary Club to have his name on the scoreboard for the new Miracle League baseball diamond, and gave $55,000 to the town to put his name on the road leading to the complex — was a convicted pedophile.
About 15 residents gathered in the lobby of town hall while councillors, administration and town lawyer Ed Posliff conferred behind closed doors. After meeting for about 75 minutes, Mayor Wayne Hurst allowed the residents and media into the council chamber before making a statement.
"The council for the Town of Amherstburg has dealt with this particular matter and we have deemed that it is no longer in the best interests of the Town of Amherstburg and the council for the Town of Amherstburg to accept money for the naming rights from this individual," said Hurst.
"We have made our decision, based on the advice of our solicitor. As you may or may not know we are in a very litigious society and certainly I'm not wanting to get my municipality involved in something unnecessarily."
Hurst refused to answer more questions.
Massen pleaded guilty in 1990 to two counts of gross indecency and one count of invitation to sexual touching involving three teenage boys. He was later granted a pardon.
In November 2008, council voted in favour of purchasing 70 acres from Massen for $406,000. The deal also gave Massen a rent-free, tax-free place to live for the rest of his life.
A request to Posliff for copies of the contract with Massen for the naming rights and the original agreement that saw Massen sell his farmland to the town for the complex was referred to town CAO Pam Malott, who did not respond to the Star.
While council was asked not to speak publicly on the issue, Diane Pouget, who was voted back on council last fall after a 13-year hiatus, wanted to point out she was the sole councillor to vote against the bylaw when it came up at the first meeting after the election.
"I voted against it for the reason that we were told that it was just a formality, that it was just a contractual agreement that was signed by our previous council, and so therefore I asked to see a copy of that agreement before I voted, it wasn't available, and I felt the bylaw was too ambiguous, it didn't state clearly exactly what we were naming," said Pouget.
"I had received complaints and concerns regarding this matter."
Pouget said "everyone who lived in Amherstburg" was aware of Massen's past.
For those concerned residents who showed up to demonstrate, the decision was met with applause when it was announced.
Gord Freeman, a town former councillor, said he's happy council reversed itself but that questions remain.
"It's the only thing they could do, which is giving the money back and taking the names down," said Freeman.
"However, who did it? Who is responsible for this in the first place? The mayor and the CAO, who intimidated the rest of them to vote for this on the new council. Somebody needs to take the blame for this. It's a wonderful structure and it's something Amherstburg should be proud of, but these stupid mistakes they keep making because they will not listen to the public and they call everybody naysayers and this is what we get. This is terrible."
Longtime resident Jim Turner brought a sign that read: No convicted pedophile's name on my arena!
"I'm here today because of this arena and this pedophile, his name is on it and I think it's going to disgrace this wonderful facility," said Turner.
Read more:
http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Convicted+pedophile+vows+fight+name+sports+complex/4258665/story.html#ixzz1DbgbAwCP