Update 3 p.m.Tues. June 16.
Christine Lackmanec , is the president of the condo board and is a long-time resident of the community. She tells BayToday that she disagrees.
"I don't think there was any hijacking. The corporation should have been handed over by law in 2012 when we reached a halfway point in property sales."
There are 32 lots and Lackmanec says the handover from Silveri's company should have occurred when 16 lots were sold.
"He should have been turning that over to the owners according to condo law. There was a refusal to do so and people took exception to that. Several people on the street are elderly, their late '70s, and for the most part, are retired. We simply wanted to take over our condo board and run it as we should have."
As far as lawsuits, it wasn't the owners that filed them, but Silveri.
"We put forth an application to the court requesting that he pay his common fees, like everyone else on the street, and to date, he still hasn't."
The amount is substantial. Lackmanec estimates over $200,000. She says the board just wants to be paid.
There have been lawsuits launched (by Silveri) to halt that process. We have the power of sale on his lots. We prefer he pays his common fees ($259/m) but we've had to put liens on his lots. We're going about our condominium laws, trying to follow them the best we can.
"We're not looking to crucify anybody, we're not looking to get anybody, we simply want what's owed to the condo board...the 23 people who live there now.."
Common fees are used if something goes wrong on the property, like street lights needing repair.
"When you have one person not paying, it's a detriment to all."
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Original story:
The lawyers for prominent North Bay Businessman, Renzo Silveri, say he is the victim of a coup as " a small group of people highjacked the Board and its operations" for the Premier Road development called Premier Village.
OPP announced yesterday that Silveri faces numerous charges of fraud including:
- Seven counts of fraud over $5,000
- Two counts of theft over $5,000
- Criminal breach of trust
- Five counts of falsification of books and documents
See: Prominent North Bay businessman charged with fraud
Toronto lawyer Rahul Shastri, in a news release today, said allegations made against Silveri centre around the "Premier Village by the Lake" development on Premier Rd.
"His dream was to build a community of single-family residences next to beautiful Lake Nipissing," said Shastri.
The project was set up as a condominium structure where all members should have had a say in the neighborhood, share in its development, and its vision moving forward says the release.
"This vision, took a sudden turn when a small group of people highjacked the Board and its operations," says Shastri. "Following this coup, the community and its residents have found themselves embroiled in a series of needless lawsuits. Under the management of this group, the expenses at Premier Village have dramatically increased for the entire community."
Silveri, in a written statement, said, "These charges have rocked my family to the core; they are groundless and hurtful. I will be completely exonerated. I ask the community to reserve judgment and not take at face value all that is rumoured about these charges.”
BayToday contacted Shastri but was told," We have no further comment at this time. We may have additional information as this matter moves forward."
Premier Village is managed by a three-person board of directors, all homeowners in Premier Village.We tried to contact the president of the board but did not receive an immediate response.
Silveri is also represented by North Bay lawyer John D'Agostino.
