Former RM of Sherwood councillor cleared of corruption, breach of trust charges
Tim Probe says he would like to return to council, but must first see where he stands
After he was found not guilty of municipal corruption and breach of trust, embattled former RM of Sherwood councillor Tim Probe was hoping to see his way clear to returning to the council that turfed him.
"If I'm allowed to go back on council, I'll be back there next Wednesday, and I will be back there without somebody telling me I can't be," he said, outside of Regina's Court of Queen's Bench on Thursday afternoon.
Probe refused to resign after being found to be in a conflict of interest for his involvement in a council meeting on Jan. 13, 2016. The RM council brought an application to the Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan to have him disqualified, with a judge ruling this past January that Probe be removed.
Defence lawyer Aaron Fox, said that the trial judge's decision to find Probe not guilty of municipal corruption and breach of trust were the first steps to clear the way for Probe if he wanted to try and return to council.
Crown alleged vote trading
The Crown had alleged that Probe offered the rural municipality's reeve, Jeff Poissant, a vote trading deal, or that he would vote in favour of a truck stop development for Poissant, and in exchange, Poissant would not seek for Probe to reimburse the rural municipality nearly $50,000 in legal fees incurred in a previous case.
The main evidence presented against Probe is an audio recording, made secretly by Poissant, of a conversation between the two rural municipality councillors at a Tim Hortons on Feb. 1, 2016.
Fox said during the case of the trial, and as evidence unfolded, he felt it became clear that Probe had legitimate concerns about issues discussed at that meeting.
He said the discussion between Poissant and Probe was focused on ways to resolve the differences and issues between the pair.
"As long as those discussions are taking place for legitimate purposes, then there's nothing criminal about it. And that's what the trial judge found here," said Fox.
RM holds off on comment
Probe said he believed half of his former council members would greet news of his "not guilty" verdict with gladness, but that others, including the reeve, may feel differently about the news.
"I have to find out exactly where I sit with the RM," he said.
When reached on Thursday afternoon, Carl Husum, deputy reeve for the RM of Sherwood, said he had not yet heard the outcome of Probe's trial.
At this point, the council had no comment on Probe's avowal to return to council, said Husum, but he said the reeve and fellow members of council would be discussing the issue, and would likely provide a statement in the near future.