The Town of Sylvan Lake, Mayor Megan Hanson, and Chief Administrative Officer Sean Durkin have filed a statement of defence in a lawsuit brought against them by Coun. Kjeryn Dakin. In response, the Town of Sylvan Lake said it, Hanson, and Durkin deny all of her allegations in the defence they submitted on September 6. “The subject of the lawsuit is the October 2023 sanctioning of Councillor Dakin under the Town’s Code of Conduct Bylaw,” said the Town of Sylvan Lake in a Wednesday statement.“The Code of Conduct review began when formal complaints were received about Councillor Dakin’s behaviour from members of the public.”Dakin filed the lawsuit in August, demanding they pay her $317,000 and issue a public apology for sanctioning her under its code of conduct. In 2023, she was involved in an incident at a Sylvan Lake restaurant she owns that led to her being charged with assault.She was sanctioned under its code of conduct for inflammatory social media posts and had to issue a written public apology and do social media training because of that. The town confirmed she completed those tasks earlier this year. The Town of Sylvan Lake said the defendants “appreciate that Councillor Dakin completed the sanctions and regret that she has chosen to pursue further legal action in this matter.” While she had been sanctioned, it said they “acted appropriately, following due process under the Municipal Government Act of Alberta and the Town’s Code of Conduct Bylaw.” “The Town of Sylvan Lake, Mayor Hanson, and CAO Durkin will respect the court process and will refrain from further public comment on the matter,” it said. Dakin had been disqualified from challenging Alberta United Conservative Party MLA Devin Dreeshen (Innisfail-Sylvan Lake) for the party nomination in 2022..SLOBODIAN: Another nomination challenger to UCP insider rejected.She had been notified she did not pass the vetting process. One reason given was a Soldiers of Odin member was videoed in her restaurant in 2017.
