Mayor Rob Burton left Tuesday night’s council meeting about two hours after it started, announcing only that he had someplace he needed to be.
Turns out that place was a $500 per plate fundraiser for the Oakville Progressive Conservative Association.
Burton confirmed his attendance at the fundraiser to Oakville News earlier today, Nov. 7.
The event was billed as an evening with Oakville MP Stephen Crawford and special guest Stephen Lecce, the province’s current minister of energy and electrification.
Burton says he did not pay to attend the event.
"I went to thank Minister Lecce in person for his recent energy portfolio changes that benefit Oakville and our ratepayers," he said, by email.
"When he was building us schools faster than any other Minister of Education, I made a practice of thanking him in person then, too. As mayor, I have always had good relations with the Ontario government of the day, even when I had to offer criticism, as I have been known to do, too."
The Oct. 5 special council meeting dealt with the town’s new Parks, Recreation and Libraries master plan.
Burton chaired the meeting during the presentation of the plan by consulting firm consulting firm Monteith Brown, listened to several delegates and then passed the chair to acting mayor Jeff Knoll.
The meeting continued for another 80 minutes after his departure. Several more delegates addressed council before councillors asked questions about the plan and then approved it.