WATERLOO REGION - A friend of ousted board members at Sand Hills Co-operative Housing says the Region of Waterloo stole her bottle of grape juice - and she's seeking $25,000 in damages.

The claim was filed by Carolann Rowe in small claims court in Kitchener on July 16.

"I'll let people make their own decisions with respect to a lawsuit for $25,000 over grape juice," said Coun. Sean Strickland.

The five-member resident board of the Kitchener co-op was replaced by the region in April amid accusations of mismanagement.

Under the Housing Services Act, the region's role is to oversee management and provide funding to the 80-unit Sand Hills. The 2011 subsidy was about $486,000, the latest available figure.

In her claim, Rowe said the region's housing co-ordinator refused to give Rowe her bottle of grape juice from the co-op board office at 250 Chandler Dr. on April 17.

She said the incident "was degrading and caused me personal, emotional and physical distress."

Deb Schlichter, director of housing at the region, said officials immediately offered to replace the juice when Rowe informed them it was hers.

"We have made this offer several times," Schlichter said.

Rowe said she is on the Ontario Disability Support Program with medical and nutritional requirements and said she couldn't afford to buy more juice.

Schlichter and the five-member board appointed by the region are named as defendants in Rowe's claim.

Rowe provided her court documents to The Record, but did not respond to requests for comment.

"We'll let it play itself out through the court proceedings," said Regional Chair Ken Seiling. "The claim speaks for itself."

Schlichter said the group has other legal challenges pending against the region.

"My assumption is that this is in response to general unhappiness about the changes that have taken place there," she said.

Several members of the former board have filed for a judicial review of the region's decision to oust them.

Also, a lawsuit has been launched against the co-operative by a former property manager for about $39,000 worth of unpaid repairs dating back to July 2012.

In May, regional staff reported an estimated $75,000 deficit at Sand Hills caused by rent arrears, $40,000 in legal fees incurred by the former board and audit fees of about $20,000 incurred by the region after the new board was appointed.

Schlichter said an update will be brought before regional councillors in the fall that will detail the audited financial statements.

Issues identified by a regional report in May:

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•The financial records of the co-operative were incomplete requiring the expenditure of more than $20,000 on audit services prior to the appointment of the new board.

•Files kept for calculating rent-geared-to-income subsidies are incomplete as are records of housing charges collected. Some members have been in arrears of rental payments dating back to 2012.

•The region changed the locks to the housing project's office the day the new board was installed on April 15. The region says someone changed the locks on the administrative office later that day and at least one former board member attempted to remove records that night. Police were called and the records recovered.