Staff at Tiny Township’s municipal office had a bit of a scare Wednesday morning.

Just before 10:30 a.m., Southern Georgian Bay OPP responded to a bomb threat at the town offices on Balm Beach Road. After evacuating and searching the building, police were unable to find a bomb.

According to police and the township, the perceived bomb threat was actually the result of miscommunication.

“A gentleman came into the township office and said that everything was going to blow up around 11 … it’s a figure of speech. He meant people are going to be upset and excited,” said Mayor Peggy Breckenridge, who was in an in-camera council meeting at the time.

Not wanting to take any chances, staff was told to leave the building until the police came.

“We had to consider the safety of everybody and move everybody outside until everything was checked.”

Breckenridge says staff at the front desk was able to identify the man and his truck, and police were able to get in touch with him to clarify the situation.

“He was warned I guess, and it was explained to him you can’t just go into a building and say that.”

Breckenridge admits she was a little surprised when she first learned of the alleged threat, but after realizing the word “bomb” hadn’t been used, and knowing the volatile situation that’s been going on in the township regarding a fence at Balm Beach, she was pretty certain there was no real safety concern.

“I (pretty much knew) it was a figure of speech, meaning people were going to get angry … I was 99-per-cent sure that’s what it was.”