It's been almost a year and Leamington's mayor wants to know why a refund from the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation is staying with the County of Essex and not being paid back to individual municipalities.
John Paterson has asked county staff for a report on the status of the cash. He says it's money Leamington and other towns paid up, and he'd like to use it.
"Leamington's share is about $96,000 and we would like to have that money back to use in our own economic development," he says. "It's my belief that those dollars belong to each municipality."
The largest portion would belong to Lakeshore which paid in $180,000, according to Paterson.
The City of Windsor and the county — representing seven municipalities — are the main contributors to WEEDC and when money was refunded, it was paid back to its two anchors.
"They're not hiding it from us," he says. "I want to know what's being done with it."
The corporation explained last December the money had accumulated over five years. It had been earmarked for unexpected or unplanned projects.
It kept $600,000 for emergencies.
— with files from Ricardo Veneza
