One Markham councillor walked out and a colleague expressed her displeasure about another secret council meeting on Monday that included discussion about the city’s controversial $325-million arena plan and an “identifiable individual.”

“I’m sick and tired of all these in camera meetings,” said regional Councillor Jim Jones after leaving the session at the Markham Civic Centre. “There is no need for this. The public has a right to know what’s going on.”

“We can try to defend ourselves as much as possible by going in camera, but the fact is the public is not happy about it,” added Councillor Valerie Burke, about the prospect of a secret session. “I’m not happy to be here.”

But Mayor Frank Scarpitti pointed out that council has a good track record in keeping meetings public whenever possible and holding secret sessions only when necessary.

Monday’s meeting again raised the ire of the Markham Village Ratepayers Association, which has criticized partial public funding of the proposed 20,000-seat, NHL-size arena and involvement of promoter Graeme Roustan, chief executive officer of GTA Sports and Entertainment.

“Let’s stop the in camera meetings,” association president Karen Rae told council before it moved into the secret session. “Be honest, open and transparent.”

As part of the deal, councillors agreed not to release reports about the arena’s viability as a business. Council is seeking a second legal opinion on that decision.

The city’s refusal to release the reports has prompted the ratepayers association to take its fight to Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner.

Councillors also signed confidentiality deals in the fall of 2010 and early 2011 to not disclose details of the project and the financial structure for more than a year.

Although councillors would not say what they decided at Monday’s meeting, sources said council finally agreed to conduct due-diligence work on the proponents of the project: prominent local developer Rudy Bratty and Roustan.

Councillors would not disclose the “identifiable individual” on the meeting agenda but people familiar with the session suggested it was Roustan, who has faced questions about his business background and a claim that he was a “finalist” to buy the iconic Montreal Canadiens in 2009. Councillors have not publicly voiced any concerns about Bratty.

Roustan, former chairman of Bauer Performance Sports, and Mayor Scarpitti have insisted the arena promoter was a finalist for the franchise.

Roustan told at least one councillor recently he would be providing information to council that would verify the claim and boost his credibility.

But Jones, a veteran councillor and a former MP, said Roustan’s claims about the Canadiens and other achievements are filled with “distortions.” Roustan’s company did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Quoting sources close to the auction process, the Star reported last fall that Roustan was never a finalist and didn’t make any formal bid for the franchise. Former partners and customers have also criticized his past business practices in interviews.

Earlier this year, the Texas Supreme Court upheld two lower court decisions that found Roustan committed statutory fraud in an arena deal with a Fort Worth couple several years ago.

Late last year, Roustan said the public hears little about his successes but more about arenas that fail because they end up in court. “I rescued some,” he said. “Others were too far gone, and that’s what gets the negative publicity.”

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The financial structure of the arena project contemplates the city borrowing $325 million and GTA Sports paying back half over 20 years. Markham would introduce a series of development levies to cover its costs and avoid any property tax increases.

Under the arrangement, GTA Sports would be responsible for construction and management of the arena near Highway 407 and Kennedy Rd., while the city would own it. That has raised fears among some residents about being on the hook for any annual losses.

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