A former Alnwick/Haldimand Public Library Board member is raising questions about the handling of a workplace harassment investigation, saying the dispute cost her more than $40,000 in legal fees and taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.
Joan Stover says the matter began in November 2021 with 14 allegations of harassment. She maintains that 13 were not substantiated as harassment, while the remaining finding involved the wording and tone of two emails.
Stover has questioned the investigation’s timeline, access to documents and whether the library board followed its own policies. She says she did not receive detailed allegations until December 2021, more than a month after the process began.
She launched legal proceedings in March 2023, with a court decision issued in December 2025. Stover says she chose not to pursue further action because of the potential cost.
She estimates public spending on legal services, the investigation and human resources involvement exceeded $50,000, while emphasizing that figure is not a verified accounting. Stover is calling for greater transparency and accountability, saying residents deserve answers about how the matter was handled and how public money was spent.
(Richard Evans)
NOTE: Story originally published by Pete Fisher
