Disney World, gym membership: Hampstead mayor responds to scathing report on tax dollar spending
Hampstead city council was asked to answer to questions Tuesday night about town spending after a recent provincial report revealed the city's director general had expensed tens of thousands of city dollars for personal expenses, including a gym membership and a trip to Disney World.
Residents of Hampstead took part in a council meeting to ask questions about tax dollar spending, seek clarification and call on the mayor for transparency.
Mayor Jeremy Levi opened the council meeting by addressing the report from the Commission municipale du Quebec (CMQ).
He repeatedly defended the director general, Richard Sun, claiming he did not engage in any wrongdoing and that the council has no grounds to suspect foul play or improper conduct.
"Our administrative framework incorporates rigorous checks and balances, underscored by annual external audits that have consistently revealed no evidence of fraud or mismanagement," he said at the meeting.
He also repeatedly accused the media of sensational reporting on the director general, saying they were "dragging him through the mud."
Levi claimed there are justifiable explanations for the expenses highlighted in the report. For example, the Disney World trip cited in the report presented an incomplete picture, he said, because there was no visit to the theme park or its attractions. Instead, he said, it was for a social media conference in Orlando about PR, marketing and corporate communications. Levi said this wasn't a vacation, and the DG was there for town business.
The mayor also explained Sun has now retired, praising him for what he called "18 dedicated years of dedicated and exemplary service to the Town of Hampstead."
Levi said it was a planned retirement, and the timing is coincidental.
"It is regrettable that these circumstances have cast a shadow over the impeccable record of our director general, especially as he approached his previously announced retirement that took effect yesterday," said Levi.
Levi is promising to go above and beyond the recommendations in the CMQ report, and said the Town of Hampstead will be launching its own independent external investigation into the matter, and will make the findings public as soon as possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.