Integrity of strip club petition questioned

Is there really a 'Sasquatch' Luxton living in Sault Ste. Marie?

If so, did he (she?) really sign the petition supporting Martin Fiser's proposed strip bar on Gore Street?

Did Mike Murphy really sign it?

And does Carmen Girelli really live at the very unusual address named in the same petition?

A 622-name petition presented to City Council by Pure Platinum supporters was harshly criticized last night by Ward 3 Councillor Pat Mick.

Mick pointed to a number of irregularities, including odd names, out-of-town addresses and phone numbers, and line after line of signatures in identical handwriting.

Of the 622 names on the petition, Mick was doubtful that more than 40 or 50 were legitimate and she expressed concern that the document was even brought before City Council.

Asked by Mick about the legal status of questionable petitions, City Solicitor Lorie Bottos said that it's entirely up to Council to determine what weight should be placed on the document.

The Ontario Municipal Board accepts such petitions but it's required to make decisions based on evidence and substantial weight is rarely placed by the OMB on petitions, Bottos said.

The petition describes Fiser's application as "a relocation of Pure Platinum which was previously located on Great Northern Road."

But the owner of the Iron Chef, which currrently occupies the Great Northern Road location, maintains that he's still zoned to operate a strip club there and could quickly convert his establishment, raising the total number of adult entertainment parlours in the Sault to three.

Local citizen Cherri O'Brien submitted a second petition, signed by 83 people opposed to the strip club.

Last night's council meeting was told that O'Brien was recently accosted by two men in her neighbourhood who demanded to know why she was stirring up trouble.

The men also demanded to know where she lived, Council was told.

Editor's notes:

#1 - Mike Murphy and Craig Colleti, whose names appear on the copy of the petition shown on our home page, advise us that they did not sign the document.

#2 - Received today via E-mail: "Regarding the integrity of the strip club petition, neither myself Corey Murphy nor my brother Michael Murphy signed the petition shown on your website. Furthermore I was unaware of any petition even circulating in this regard nor did I give anybody permission to sign my name to said petition."