TEHKUMMAH鈥擜fter a closed meeting last week, Tehkummah Township council will resume its normal council meetings, Mayor John Deforge told The Expositor last Friday.
鈥淲e are resuming normal scheduled council meetings, so I鈥檓 very happy about that,鈥 stated Mayor Deforge. 鈥淚 would like to apologize to the office and for the inconvenience this may have caused.鈥
As was reported in the June 4, 2025 edition of the Expositor, citing disrespect directed at Tehkummah Township acting clerk-administrator Barbara Grigg, Mayor John Deforge suspended all council meetings until council members sign a written promise to treat all township staff, Ms. Grigg and council with dignity and respect.
The Expositor contacted all council members, Mike McKenzie, Steve Wood, Lori Leeson and Perry Chatwell, who all indicated after the meeting that council meetings will resume, and they all indicated that they did not sign a written promise that Mayor Deforge referenced.
鈥淭he people of Tehkummah township need to know what is going on,鈥 Mayor Deforge told the Expositor previously. 鈥淭he amount of council attacks on Barbara Grigg is terrible.鈥
Mayor Deforge noted at the time that he had suspended all council meetings, stating, 鈥淎ll I鈥檓 looking for is council not to gang up on our staff people. That鈥檚 all I鈥檓 asking for.鈥
In a letter to all council members dated May 26, Mayor Deforge wrote, 鈥淚 was disheartened to see the level of hatred directed towards Barbara Grigg, acting clerk-administrator, from all members of council, so as of now I am suspending all council meetings until I get a written assurance from each council member that they will show all township staff, including Barbara Grigg, the acting clerk-administrator, the dignity and respect they deserve and we (as council) swore an oath to, and that they will comply with the township鈥檚 policies. It saddens my heart to write this.鈥
At the bottom of the letter, with space above for council members to sign their name it reads, 鈥淚 make a promise to treat all staff, Barbara Grigg and council with dignity and respect.鈥
Mayor Deforge told The Expositor previously he had contacted the township representative with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), that he had suspended all council meetings and that he has sent out the letter to all council members.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to protect the township and do what is in the best interest of the township,鈥 said Mayor Deforge. He explained in the June 4 story that the township has the clerk position open for applicants, and once council finds the suitable candidate for the position, they will replace Barb as clerk. We have to have someone in place before she is removed from this position. The current office staff members don鈥檛 want to take over her job.鈥
Mayor Deforge further explained in the June 4 edition that the MMAH had informed him, 鈥淲e have 60 days for a council meeting to be held, or the ministry will close things down and take over the township operations.鈥
鈥淎ll I鈥檓 trying to do is have a normal council meeting where everyone is getting along,鈥 said Mayor Deforge.
Mayor Deforge told the Expositor last week, that since the meeting last week was closed, he could not divulge anything further that took place at the meeting.
