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‘He has erased everything and it is done’

September 21, 2022

Sign war in PW mayoral race

The race for mayor in Plympton-Wyoming is heating up after allegations of sign tampering and a confrontation after a council meeting.

But one candidate for mayor in Plympton-Wyoming isn’t saying whether she took down the election signs of one of her opponents.

Gary Atkinson, Tim Wilkins and Muriel Wright are in the running for the town’s top job after the retirement of long-serving Mayor Lonny Napper.

Wright, who was the deputy mayor, is a long-time council member while Atkinson and Wilkins have served one term on council.

The Independent learned from several sources last week a resident took a video Muriel Wright taking down the campaign signs of Tim Wilkins on Egremont Road. Some were thrown into a nearby ditch, others allegedly were put in the candidate’s trunk. The Independent contacted the citizen however she declined to comment on the video.

“Tim and I have agreed not to talk about it; end of story and we’re moving on. There is – he has erased everything and it is done. Thank you.”

Muriel Wright, candidate for mayor in Plympton-Wyoming

People who remove election signs can be charged with the criminal offense of mischief according to the OPP.

Plympton-Wyoming Clerk Erin Kwarciak said there had been no formal complaints of sign tampering come across her desk.

However, many at town hall were aware of the incident. Several sources tell us Wilkins angrily accused Wright of destroying signs after the Sept. 14 council meeting ended. It was described as a shouting match.

The Independent went to Wright about the report and the candidate for mayor neither confirmed nor denied the incident.

“Tim and I have agreed not to talk about it; end of story and we’re moving on. There is – he has erased everything and it is done. Thank you.”

Wright then hung up.

The Independent reached out to Wilkins for comment but he declined.

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