The Osgoodes drop their lawsuit against Coun. George Dallows

Couple suing Osgood County. George Darrows, who was receiving, dropped the case, realizing that the trial was willing to spend time and money.

Kristen and Reinhard Lechleitner sued Darouze for her $32,500 in June 2020 after becoming frustrated with the way the integrity process ended.

The legal drama ends just months before Osgood Ward residents decide who will represent him in his 2022-2026 term on the Ottawa City Council. Darouze seeks his third authority.

Continuing litigation is not worth the time, stress and potential costs associated with a trial, said Kristen Lekleitner.

She is an operating room nurse. and also working for Indigenous Services Canada in remote northern Ontario, Reinhard Lechleitner is a Constable for the Ottawa Police.

Kristen Lechleitner said he was ready to settle, but Darouze wanted her claims to go to trial.

Darouze Thursday did not return a request for comment on. His attorney, J.F. Lalonde, confirmed that the judge upheld the dismissal of the claim.

Former Integrity Commissioner Robert Malraux noted that in 2019 Darrows emailed the police chief (then Charles Bordreau) and the officer's wife took to social media criticizing the police deployment decision. After learning that you had filed a complaint about what you posted, we launched a behavioral investigation. Osgood area.

The Chief of Police ranked Darrows' complaints for evaluation, and the Inspector and Sergeant found that Kristen Reckleitner's observations of her Facebook post were accurate. A senior officer assured Reinhard Lechleitner, who had just learned about the post, that the police would take no action.

In a report summarizing his behavioral research, Malraux wrote: Her critical Facebook commentary against him. , recommended that Darouze issue a sincere written apology to the Lechleitners. Malraux also recommended that the council instruct Dallows to ask the police chief to remove the councilor's e-mails from Reinhard Lechleitner's personnel file.

On 25 September 2019, the Council received and implemented Malraux's recommendations without discussion.

Kristen Lechleitner attended council meetings and observed how the mayor and city council members responded to the integrity report.

"I was angry," she said Thursday. "They did nothing."

Lechleitners filed a lawsuit against her Darouze in small claims court. The couple were sued for $30,000 in damages, acknowledging the penalties available to the Integrity Commissioner in making recommendations to the council on penalties. The maximum penalty for behavioral violations is a 90-day salary suspension.

Lechleitners was also unsatisfied with Darouze's apology, particularly the part stating, "I am very sorry to learn that you perceive my actions to be harassment."

In court files, his Darouze defense documents dated January 2021 allege he was the subject of defamatory remarks on his social media by Kristen Lechleitner. .

In his defense, Darrows said he had implemented the recommendations of the Conservation Commission's report. That includes asking Interim Police Chief Steve Bell to remove Reinhard Rechtner's emails from his files and writing an apology to the Lechleitners.

Darouze asked the court to dismiss the action, claiming that Lechleitners had suffered no damages.

The most recent settlement meeting was held last week, leading to a decision by Lechleitners to terminate the litigation.

Lechleitners did not represent counsel during the proceedings.

Reinhard Lechleitner said they pursued the lawsuit not because they had "hurt feelings" about Darouze's conduct, but because they believed the lawsuit was based on legal grounds.

Lechleitners, in deciding to close the case, argued that if Darouze was ordered to pay property taxpayers would be ordered by the court to pay. He said he was also concerned that he could be held liable for damages caused by

The City of Ottawa was not named as a defendant in this action.

Osgood District has become one of the districts to watch out for in the October 24 local elections.

One of his challengers to Darrows is Doug His Thompson, a former alderman who supported Darrows in the 2014 city council election and the last mayor of his township, Osgood. . Their soured relationship becomes an intrigue in city hall after Darrousze's election, in which Thompson wants his seat back.

Darouze, however, has eight years of experience on the city council and is serving as deputy mayor in his current term. In his 2018 local elections, he won 54% of his vote in his five-candidate campaign in Osgood District.

As of Thursday, other candidates running for the Osgood seat in 2022 included Dan O'Brien and Bob Massaro.

Kristen Lekleitner, who was considering running, said she was volunteering to campaign for Thompson.

jwilling@postmedia.com

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