Image

‘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.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Residents worry Lasalle dust could lead to accidents

June 26, 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent Lasalle Line residents may have a break from the dust being kicked up by traffic. But they shouldn’t expect the Brooke-Alvinston road to be paved anytime soon. Lasalle Line was turned back to gravel in 2024 when the cost of construction escalated. It’s remained gravel ever since. Twenty-three homeowners wrote to council concerned about the dust and

Read More

Image
Front Page

Bluewater Health takes over family doctor recruitment in Central Lambton

June 26, 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent Bluewater Health and the Ontario Health Team in Sarnia-Lambton will be in charge of recruiting new doctors in all of Lambton County. That’s according to Rosanne Orcutt, a long-time Petrolia health care advocate and the now former head of the Central Lambton Recruitment Committee. Bluewater Health had always recruited for specialists in the hospital. The Blue Coast

Read More

Image
Front Page

Petrolia passes its own Right of Access bylaw

June 26, 2026

The Independent Bylaw enforcement officers in Petrolia now have rights of access enshrined in a municipal bylaw. A Right of Entry by-law is used to authorize municipal authority to enter private property for specific, legally permitted purposes, such as inspections. Director of Legal Services, Mandi Pearson, in a report to council Monday, said the entry must be “reasonable, for a

Read More

Image
Front Page

Rosters for Flyers, Flags taking shape

June 26, 2026

Barry Wright/The Independent Nathan Beer is the first signing announced for the coming PJHL season by the Petrolia Flyers. The 18-year-old left-shot forward played the past two seasons with the Burlington-based Blyth-Deerview Raiders prep team following two seasons with the U16 and U18 squads in Strathroy. Beer played one game with the Flyers in 2024 scoring in a contest against

Read More