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
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.