April 25 Hawkesbury council had its first in-person public session since the pandemic started. The first person to put a question to council during the open question period was former mayor Jeanne Charlebois. She asked about the status of  Mayor Paula Assaly’s legal debt to the municipality. 

Last year the mayor took legal action against the municipality and former integrity commissioner John Saywell. The mayor sought an injunction against public release of Saywell’s report dealing with harassment and interference complaints by several municipal staff against Assaly. A division court judge rejected the legal injunction request and ordered Assaly to compensate the municipality for part of its legal expenses 

During the April 25 open question session of council, Charlebois asked if there was a deadline set for payment of the partial compensation and had any of the money been paid. Mayor Assaly told Charlebois she was not able to respond yet. 

“I’m not trying to avoid the question,” Mayor Assaly said. “The sums that are due are being postponed.” 

The mayor said that a procedural judiciary review on the matter is in progress and she cannot comment on any specifics until it is finished.