Mayor disputes accused businessman’s account in sewage feud
e mayor of Lunenburg says a town resident charged with assaulting her has spread inaccurate details of the incident through the media, but she stopped short of offering her version of what happened.
“Details of the incident described in media reports do not reconcile with the statement I made to the police which will be a part of the criminal proceedings,” Rachel Bailey said in a statement emailed to e Chronicle Herald on Wednesday.
While not disclosing the name of the accused or any speci c details of the incident, Bailey did say a man put his hands on her in a “manner that is unacceptable.”
“On Aug. 14, 2017, I stopped at the inshore shermen’s wharf in Lunenburg on my way home from a morning run,” Bailey said. “During the course of what began there as a discussion, another person participating in the exchange put his hands on me in a manner that is unacceptable.
“It is my understanding that the person has been charged with assault and, since being charged, has chosen to speak publicly about the incident. As a witness in a criminal proceeding, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on this matter until it has been dealt with by the courts.”
The accused, Bill Flower, disclosed his side of the story to the Herald last week, saying the mayor falsely accused him of rubbing sewage-contaminated water on her bare ankles following a heated confrontation at Fishermen’s Wharf.
Flower would not say whether he at any point touched Bailey.
e Herald attempted to reach Bailey for that story but was unsuccessful.
Flower is due in Bridgewater provincial court in April to face a charge of assault. He’s been ordered to have no contact with Bailey.
Flower also suggested the mayor planned the confrontation, saying when he arrived at the wharf on the morning in question the mayor was waiting for him. Flower said the mayor “verbally assaulted” him over his outspoken criticism of the municipality’s handling of the town’s polluted harbour.
Flower, who operates a tour boat business out of Fishermen’s Wharf, has been calling for all three levels of government to clean up the harbour. His e orts to get the town’s sewage outfall moved away from the wharf and waterfront have been unsuccessful.
In her statement on Wednesday, Bailey said it was part of her duty as mayor “to develop and maintain a safe community.”
“Elected and unelected o cials of the Town of Lunenburg must be able to discuss issues a ecting the town without fear of violence or subjection to physical force of any kind,” she said. “Every citizen should feel safe in Lunenburg.”