She tried to assure neighbours she’s fighting for them, but Coun. Esther Pauls quickly found herself on the hot seat at a Hamilton public school board information session on plans to sell the former Vincent Massey school in her central Mountain ward.

Pauls, who now represents the area after last year’s realignment of political boundaries took it out of Ward 6, told about 20 residents she will do her best to ensure the city buys the school’s one-hectare property.

The city already bought the school’s one-hectare playing field for $1 million in 2011, when the area was overseen by Coun. Tom Jackson, and spent $540,000 to create Vincent Massey Park, opened in September 2016. Massey was Governor General of Canada from 1952 to 1959.

Pauls said she’s begun the process of notifying the board the city is interested in the school by an initial July 16 deadline, but any actual bid to buy it will need council support and she’s still awaiting more information, including the price.

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“I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart I want to buy the school. There is no reason why we shouldn’t. But there is reasons; it’s money,” she said.

“I promise if I’m able to buy it, if I’m able to convince the other councillors, if I’m able to do it, I will do my best.”

But Pauls got into a testy exchange with some residents when she said she had to “go to Indwell” for another event – apparently referring to a banquet held by the Christian housing charity at the same time – and invited people to email any questions to an assistant who stayed behind.

“You don’t answer phone calls. We have called three times, our family,” shouted Doug Fraser, who sat on a citizens committee that provided input on the neighbouring park.

“I talked to your secretary. She said, ‘Oh, yes, Esther will get back to you.’ Three times, ‘Esther will get back to you.’ You never get back.”

Pauls said she was unaware of the phone messages and vowed to investigate.