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“Really, our only option was to get our money back and walk away,” Dunn said, calling the loss of the mortgage “quite devastating to us all.”

However, discouraged city hall officials insist that flipping the library property to a private developer was not Dunn’s only option. Council met in camera recently to discuss a request from Dunn to extend the closing date, and voted no. But councillors did approve rescinding the deal and even giving the mission back its $150,000 deposit, said Mayor Drew Dilkens, who expressed disappointment over a city property being “flipped” into private hands without council’s blessing.

Photo by Dan Janisse / Windsor Star

Dunn insisted Thursday that the city didn’t “officially” make an offer to rescind. He said that Dilkens “alluded that they might be able” to give the money back. “I can’t take ‘might’ to the bank and so I made other arrangements,” said Dunn.

However, the mayor was unequivocal.

“There was no maybe about it. It was a direct offer,” Dilkens said.

“The city made a very reasonable offer to rescind the deal and give his full deposit back and we would go back and take all the risk of selling the building and making sure we had the right development there.”

Dilkens said after making the offer to the mission, Dunn explained he had to go with the developer’s offer because it also included a big donation to buy the vacant lot. The mayor claimed the flip was in the works before Dunn approached council about an extension. Several weeks ago, Dunn was seen on the second floor of the vacated library showing around prospective buyers, Dilkens said.