Allyson Beauregard
THORNE – The Thorne Community Recreation Association and representatives of municipal council met October 19 in an attempt to come to an agreement regarding the TCRA Hall and the property’s ownership through mediation.
Allyson Beauregard
THORNE – The Thorne Community Recreation Association and representatives of municipal council met October 19 in an attempt to come to an agreement regarding the TCRA Hall and the property’s ownership through mediation.
While both Mayor Terry Murdock and TCRA president Gilles Ouimet declined to comment on what happened during the mediation due to a non disclosure agreement signed, Murdock emphasized it is an ongoing process rather than a one time meeting. “We’re working on finding our commonalities,” he added.
The TCRA has owned the TCRA Hall and property since 1989 when it was purchased from the municipality for $1, a price the current Council has contested. “You just can’t give municipal property away for $1… It’s written in the municipal code,” said Murdock in an earlier interview. The municipality claims they cannot receive grants to improve their fire hall or build a garage since the TCRA grounds, where the fire hall is located, is not under their ownership.
However, Ouimet claims former councils were able to obtain grants without
the property in their name. Up to date, the municipality has spent about $30,000
in legal fees.
If a solution cannot be agreed upon through the mediation process, the issue will go before the courts.
