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At the same time a few credible sources have suggested that one. or two council members are perhaps reluctant to work with the mayor as co-operatively as they might. T_here us also much negativity in some of the coffee shop chanerr ' Mayor Altmann stated that 'the application was evidence of this old boy‘s club. On July 20th, lollowmg an applicatron by local residents lan Hilton and Tom Winters. the mayor faced a hearing to determine whether his electoral finances should be audited based on alleged inaccuracies, The application was dismissed unanimously on the basis that it contained only “speculation". The unsuccessful applicants. it should be noted. were both male and well, not young. at least. But with the election having long disappeared into the rear view minor it may seem surprising that Mayor Justin Altmann has complained that there is an old boys“ club which. out of a case of ‘sour giapes'. is tryin'grtb get in the way of his doing his job. Can this be nght? Even where political candidates manage to keep a campaign civilized tor the most part. some supporters can get carried away. In the run up to the tall election there was trash talking by a few supporters. most at it untounded rumour or one sided mischaracterizations. Personally I don't think there is {Offer good until Aug. 31. 2015 Bring‘in this (:‘oupon ‘receive 3 Free Cobs oleelicioug Sweet Corn* Offer good only at: Reesor’ s Market Bakery 5758 Main~St., Stouffville . 905- 640- 2270 Mon. -Fri. 9- 7, Sat 9-6 It’s SW¢et Cdrn Season! By Ben Emblrlcos Stouflville Free Press Is There an ‘Old Boys Club’ Acting Against Altmann? Stou wllc *STOUFFVILLE Whllchurch-Slwflvillt's Onllnc Dlmm any wuemer you agreed wuh hls 001065 or not. he was undoubtedly a hard worker, His supporters would have felt that this was his time. Mr Barfley's supporters may have believed perhaps that because he was the most “Stouffville” of the candidates. he deserved to win. Richard grew At the election Altmann‘s chief rivals both enjoyed a firm but somewhat distinct support base. Mr Bannon had served the longer time on cpuncil and whether you agreed with his policies There is no doubt that people who are successful at a young age can be slightly irritating to many of us. myself included. But this is just envy Isn't it? By becoming mayor, Altmann has achieved something big. What's more he has had success in politics - a tield which is traditionally the preserve of the middle aged and older. I think that this may explain some of the mud slinging. ' ., The mayor celebrated his thirty third birthday at the end of July. At his age, it he were a professional athlete he would be a "veteran". But he is in municipal politics so instead he is a “ki'd'i Such are the sometimes strange social norms we live by. 1 will confess here that Altmann's relatively tender age was a concern lor me at the election last tall, The people spoke pretty clearly though and he beat out council veterans Phil Bannon and Stouflville's own Richard Bartley, one ‘old boys“ club“ acting in a Da Vinci Code-like conspiracy to discredit the mayor. But there are some remnants of two very disappointed groups 0! supporters and an overlapping bunch that can't get past the mayor's age. R'a'dio i021); ury and Tourism Cum Talk 0! Th Altmann won Respect the decrs'lon and move on I don't know whether all cl this completely explains any problems In working relationships on council. the strong words In the audit application and the coffee shop gnpmg‘ But if it plays a part I hope we can get past It. I will say the mayor has clearly been innovative. perhaps even “ballsy” in the way he has run both his busmesses and his political campaigns. Having got to know him better though I think that some of that creativity may be a positive that he can bring to the mayoral officer Doing things differently though can also irritate people even when perhaps it shouldn't. Any resident is of course entitled to tile an audit application but the accompanying somewhat dramatic language alleging among other things the “fraudulent" use of a barn suggests that there may have been a slight loss 0! perspective here. “Fraud" is a strong word to throw about. "they could have asked. éverything ié there (in the records). nothing sneaky or defiant." When I met with the mayor shortly belore the audit application hearing. he was perhaps understandably preoccupied, He told me he was “not against the process . . just disappointed in the individuals" whom he said had not done their research before tiling their complaint. The mayor told me up here and was widely believed to be former mayor Emmerson's chosen successor which would have added to this sense of “destiny"‘ Acceptmg new ana‘ transfirri n g patients Every year "we give back a portion of our relenue to supportigcal arts and athletic organizations and > charities promoting human health and the environment _;.A optometry DIDhYOU KNOW .. n6 Sto'uffville past It. voters Dabble Colllns (left) and Nadine Lafay (right) share Stouflvillo’s recent happenings with their new friend Carrie, 8 hostess at the Paris Resort casino in Las Vegas, durlng a recent visit, TONY NARDELLI What Happens in Vegas MASTER‘IK SALON ' SPA or EDEN snow 3 sm- IS NOW WORKING AT 905.642.3937 StoufMI/e Free Press ANNOUNCEMENT: 6085 Mainfiircct evening appointments contact lenses 9‘ fashion eyewear lab on premises ‘state ofthe _art technology new patients welcome Month 2014