Puslinch councillor Dick Visser says he wasn’t pleased with comments made by former fire chief Dan Quinnell following a settlement announcement on July 2.
Quinnell and his son Richard, the township’s former fire prevention officer, settled their wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the township for a combined total of almost $166,000.
A township statement read by Mayor Brad Whitcombe on July 2 indicated, “There was no admission of liability on the part of any of the parties.”
But Visser felt a statement issued by Dan Quinnell to the local media saying the Quinnells “feel vindicated” clearly alludes to some sort of liability.
“I hope they get the message … to let this thing lie,” Visser said at the July 15 council meeting.
He added both sides are supposed remain quiet on the topic.
No other councillors addressed the matter.
The Quinnells were fired in December amidst allegations of “financial discrepancies” and what Visser called “intimidation” of firefighters.
They filed a wrongful dismissal suit about a month later, seeking almost $900,000 in damages from the township.
Last week council also approved paying a $11,641 legal bill for work completed in May on the township’s behalf by the Toronto law firm of Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti.
That brings the municipality’s total legal bill, including the settlement, to almost $204,000 – with a bill for the month of June still expected.
