Kincardine Council has defeated a recommendation on which brewery should supply the beer for the upcoming Tiverton Old Boys and Girls Reunion.
Council defeated a recommendation to accept a tender from Labatt’s to provide the beer, based on a points system used by the reunion committee, but no other supplier has been selected..
The Labatt tender was for just over 37 dollars per case, a bid was submitted by Molson for over 43 dollars.
Tiverton-based Steelback Brewery came in the lowest and submitted a tender for just over 30 dollars per case.
Mayor Larry Kraemer says he can’t recall a situation where the cost of a tender was not the main reason for making a selection, especially when Labatt’s would have cost more than 20 percent more than a locally-produced beer.
He says he’d rather see a local supplier provide the beer.
Councillor Randy Roppel, a member of the reunion committee supports the Labatt bid and insists the tendering process was done fairly and none of the criteria were added or subtracted in favour of one brewery over another.
Steelback President Ian MacDonald says his company had their tender in on the 21st and was somewhat surprised that the deadline was extended.
He says he believes in a fair process and that Steelback made a strong bid.
The reunion committee has wanted to serve beer only from cans. However, the South Bruce OPP Detachment recommends against that for safety reasons.
Unlike Labatt’s and Molson’s, Steelback does not sell beer in cans.
Deputy Mayor Laura Haight questions the safety of using cans.
Councillor Marsha Leggett, who is involved with reunion preparations, says plastic cups used to serve draught beer could also be used to slit someone’s throat in a rowdy situation.
Haight says canned beer was served at last year’s Kincardine Reunion but only where festivities were taking place in Victoria Park.
She says that was only done because the nature of the entertainment and audience there reduced the potential for problems.
She says the Alcohol and Gaming Commission was even reluctant to let that happen.
Haight says beer was not used at the venue on the beach for the same reasons.
Jeers began to come from the reunion committee members gathered in the public gallery. One man stormed out of the room angry, the mayor called for order.
After a recess, where the reunion committee met outside to discuss the situation, council reconvened.
Roppel announced that six of the 12 member of the committee—including its chair have instantly resigned.
He says the remaining members will consider the issue for a week and then return to council for a decision on June 10.
Depending on what council decides, he expects the rest of the members could resign and the reunion might not happen.
The reunion committee members angrily left the council chambers and refused to speak with reporters.
Kraemer says when the Tiverton Reunion became a committee of the municipal council, organizers were told it could influence decisions about how the reunion is set up.
He says that means decisions have to consider matters like promoting the local economy while doing the best job possible to organize the event.
Kraemer hopes the issue can be resolved.
Council has also decided to defer approving a security provider for the reunion because of the fallout from the beer decision.
The Tiverton Old Boys and Girls Reunion is supposed to take place from July 31st to August 3rd.