Editor,
At the outset, let me say that I am no fan of Francis Richardson, just to be clear. But before he is pilloried about conflict of interest and legal fees for beach lawsuits, how about we place the blame squarely where it belongs ?
It belongs in the lap of Geoff Grist, who bought property in the Meaford area and then proceeded to try to change historical patterns of community and decency by disallowing people from crossing that property near the water's edge, as they had been doing unmolested for years and years. It seems he thinks he can steamroll in with his money and selfishly deprive anyone else of things they had enjoyed for years - and he arms himself with fat-cat lawyers who now, it appears, want something between $350,000 and $ 600,000 for their efforts.
My personal view is that this community does not need the likes of Grist. Perhaps he chose Meaford because he has seen the disarray of our Council in the past. But I, for one, applaud them for taking up arms against this attitude that money talks - and certainly that attitude will spread if Grist is allowed to plough ahead unfettered.
Somewhere along the line one must - pardon the pun - draw a line in the sand. The Council has advice that the original lower court judgement can be overturned. That judgement seems to me to go way over the top - it would appear the judge certainly got a bee in his bonnet somewhere along the way. The language he used is excessive and though I am no lawyer, seemingly unfair. But we will not know until final resolution. And for those who keep claiming the issue should have been negotiated, nothing I have ever read about Grist and his causes suggest he is open to negotiate anything - he simply wants nobody using an allowance that people have used constantly for years.
Nice neighbour.
Tim Thompson, Annan
+ 37 + 60 
