POWASSAN, Ont. — The Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, came within a whisker of leaving the community over a contract dispute with the municipality while both sides were negotiating a new deal.
A misunderstanding among staff and council members triggered the dispute, which was resolved when Voodoos co-owner Jim Bruce appeared at council’s most recent meeting on Sept. 3.
Bruce told the council the Voodoos are celebrating their 10th year in the community.
“Unfortunately, it may be our last,” Bruce said.
Bruce noted that town council empowered Deputy Mayor Markus Wand to negotiate a new deal with the Voodoos' management and that’s exactly what took place. “We entered into negotiations on a good faith basis,” which resulted in a draft agreement that included amendments agreed to by both sides.
Bruce said the amendments were minor in nature and they would not impact the municipality.
With the draft agreement in place, the thinking was it was going to be ratified over the summer at a regular council meeting. However, Bruce maintained that’s not what happened.
“Imagine our surprise when the council attempted to read into the minutes a version of the lease agreement that was different from the one agreed upon and submitted by Deputy Mayor Wand,” Bruce told council. “My question is how is that possible?”
Bruce said he got a message from Wand indicating that the council wanted to discuss changes to the agreement.
Bruce told council the Voodoos believed the negotiations were complete and as a result of the proposed changes it was his feeling that “the Voodoos [were] being nickel and dimed on contract negotiations.
“Now we feel the changes are being made in bad faith,” he said. “For whatever reason, the council and staff want to rewrite what has already been agreed to.”
Bruce said the Voodoos are part of the community and the organization “appreciates what happens within the municipality as much as the next person.”
Bruce reminded the town council that the Voodoos pay $25,000 to $30,000 each year to the municipality for use of the ice during the regular season and playoffs, as well as access to the local gymnasium.
He added because of the Voodoos there are spinoff activities like 50-50 draws at local games that benefit other activities.
Council agreed that having the Voodoos in Powassan benefits the community, when asked that question by Bruce.
“I believe there’s good value in the Voodoos being part of the community,” said Coun. Randy Hall. “I don’t think there was any malice. It was a lack of knowledge. I didn’t know there was a finalized agreement between the Voodoos and Deputy Mayor Wand. Had we known there was a finality to the agreement at the time, there would have been a different discussion. I thought when the last agreement came to us, it was still under negotiation.”
Hall personally apologized to Bruce during the council meeting in case he had added confusion to the mix.
At the earlier meeting when the contract came under discussion, Deputy Mayor Wand told council then that the changes they wanted would not go over well because he had brought them a finalized agreement and he reminded his council colleagues of this at the most recent meeting.
Hall then said it was his understanding that at the previous meeting there was still some negotiating going on and it’s why the changes were proposed.
Wand accepted Hall’s explanation and perception of the matter.
Mayor Peter McIsaac is a big fan of the Voodoos and regularly buys season tickets.
He said the money the club brings to the community is significant.
“The Voodoos are an asset in many ways,” he added.
McIsaac also reminded council members that when the contract came up at the July meeting and changes were being suggested, he made it clear that council was looking at a finalized agreement Wand had negotiated with the Voodoos and “we should not make any changes to that agreement.”
The agreement is a five-year deal and the dispute appears to be settled, with McIsaac saying this present deal contains no major changes from the previous agreement. It is the deal Bruce and Wand negotiated and both parties are happy with the agreement.
McIsaac will sign the agreement. But he’s waiting until the minutes of a previous meeting, containing provisions of the hockey agreement, are approved at council’s next meeting. This will be the final procedural process on council’s part to make accepting the proposed agreement official.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter with Almaguin News. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
