Gym membership, Disney trip, restaurants: Questions about spending at Hampstead Town Hall
Serious questions are being raised about how the Town of Hampstead has been spending taxpayer dollars.
A report has concluded that the town's director general expensed tens of thousands of dollars on things such as restaurants, a gym membership and a trip to Disney World.
The Commission municipale du Quebec report found the official, Richard Sun, regularly used city credit cards to make various purchases, including at the SAQ and the Apple store. In 2022, expenses on the credit card totaled more than $150,000.
The report also found that over the past five years, the director general billed between $8,000 and $14,000 dollars a year on restaurants. He defended the spending, saying there wasn’t enough room to hold meetings at the town hall.
In that same period, between $30,000 and $60,000 a year was billed to allow Sun and certain town officials to attend conferences and training courses outside of Quebec, including at Disney in Florida, two trips to Barcelona, and another to Las Vegas.
The director general also paid for a gym membership on the city’s credit card, according to the report.
In a statement, the commission says its investigation found that: "wrongdoing has been committed against the Town of Hampstead … namely contraventions of the law, abuse of public funds and serious mismanagement."
However, the commission is not asking for the money to be reimbursed.
Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi and the director general did not respond to requests for comment from CTV News on Friday.
In a statement on its website, the town wrote that it "undertakes to review and improve its policies, regulations, and internal controls. This includes the implementation of a strengthened framework for use of Town credit cards, in accordance with the Cities and Towns Act."
It went on to say that: "The Town expresses its full confidence in its director general and has no reason to suspect any foul play or improper conduct."
The report is expected to be a major topic of conversation at the next town council meeting next Tuesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'