Several members of Chatham-Kent's council are calling out the harassment they've received about the proposed Community Hub project.
Council met on Monday and approved proceeding with the construction procurement phase of the project, one of the last steps before shovels hit the ground.
During discussions, several Councillors mentioned that they had received threats about supporting the hub.
Councillor Anthony Ceccacci said it nearly worked.
"What I almost did was vote, because I was bullied and harassed, a certain way and I said to myself, 'that's exactly why I got into this position,' so I didn't do that." he explained.
Speaking with CK News Today after Monday's meeting, Mayor Darrin Canniff mentioned he also got a lot of aggressive messages.
"We can have different opinions, but to try and bully... there's no place for that," he added.
He believes the people harassing council have been misinformed by a small group of residents opposed to the project. Councillor Lauren Anderson agreed, but argued that at least one member of council has also played a part.
"There's been an incredible disservice to the community. It was based on a smear campaign started by a Councillor. It was designed to create misinformation, cause fear, and financial distress to the public. To those, I say shame on you for abusing your place of influence to pray on the ignorance of others for your own political or personal gains," she said.
Anderson didn't say which Councillor she was talking about. Canniff also believes a lot of misinformation has been shared by members of council, mentioning that people just need to go to social media to see their posts as proof.
Councillors Marjorie Crew and Carmen McGregor also spoke at Monday's meeting about receiving threatening messages. Councillor Ryan Doyle specifically called out the "small group of people" he believes encouraged everyone they knew to email council to express opposition to the project.
The only council member who voted against the project to speak out against the harassment was Morena McDonald.
"Bullying and harassment of anyone is not okay, it takes away from the important work and discussions that are coming in our near future," she noted.
Discussions around the hub are expected to continue over the next five months. A decision on whether to officially award a contract to start construction will likely happen in October 2025.