A Saskatchewan municipal leader was removed from office Thursday after an inquiry found that he stood to earn up to $57 million on a land development.
Kevin Eberle, reeve of the Rural Municipality (RM) of Sherwood, owned land on which the Wascana Village development was to go.
The matter was referred to RCMP after the inquiry found “serious conflicts of interest and violations of the public trust by an elected official.”
While Eberle and the RM council had previously said he abstained from any votes or other dealings to do with Wascana Village, the inquiry found he attempted to exert influence on the decisions regarding the Wascana Village concept plan.
In the report, Justice Ron Barclay writes: “The conflict the Reeve found himself in when he agreed to share profits with the Developer was horrendous and keeping that conflict secret from his fellow Councillors and the Administrator was inexcusable.”
According to Barclay’s report, Eberle could have earned as much as $57 million in the deal after selling land at $25,642 per acre (approximately $11.98 million), a 10% profit sharing deal with the developer (approximately $40 million) and other considerations. Wascana Village also would have included a park and a street bearing the Eberle name. He would also have received a furnished condo and five residential lots.
A byelection has been ordered to take place by October.
“This is not a step any government would ever want to take, but the serious findings in this report require extraordinary action to ensure the best interests of Sherwood ratepayers are protected,” Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said in a news release.
“The inquiry findings reveal a number of serious breaches of the public trust by a municipal official and the Government of Saskatchewan has taken the necessary steps to restore this trust.”
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Saskatchewan reeve in conflict of interest on land deal that could have made him $57M, probe finds | National Post
Kevin Eberle, reeve of the Rural Municipality (RM) of Sherwood, owned land on which the Wascana Village development was to go.
The matter was referred to RCMP after the inquiry found “serious conflicts of interest and violations of the public trust by an elected official.”
While Eberle and the RM council had previously said he abstained from any votes or other dealings to do with Wascana Village, the inquiry found he attempted to exert influence on the decisions regarding the Wascana Village concept plan.
In the report, Justice Ron Barclay writes: “The conflict the Reeve found himself in when he agreed to share profits with the Developer was horrendous and keeping that conflict secret from his fellow Councillors and the Administrator was inexcusable.”
According to Barclay’s report, Eberle could have earned as much as $57 million in the deal after selling land at $25,642 per acre (approximately $11.98 million), a 10% profit sharing deal with the developer (approximately $40 million) and other considerations. Wascana Village also would have included a park and a street bearing the Eberle name. He would also have received a furnished condo and five residential lots.
A byelection has been ordered to take place by October.
“This is not a step any government would ever want to take, but the serious findings in this report require extraordinary action to ensure the best interests of Sherwood ratepayers are protected,” Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said in a news release.
“The inquiry findings reveal a number of serious breaches of the public trust by a municipal official and the Government of Saskatchewan has taken the necessary steps to restore this trust.”
more
Saskatchewan reeve in conflict of interest on land deal that could have made him $57M, probe finds | National Post