Kudos to Nicole Peltier and Kevin Ferris for doggedly staying on top of the shenanigans going on at city hall going back to the days of Big Al and his cronies pilfering the wallets of North Bay citizens.
Lost in all of this morass at city hall is the fact that people signed off on these expenses, namely Mr. Severino and who knows who else. The person who brought this to light is probably on someone's naughty list and will most likely be shown the door. No internal investigation or integrity commissioner's report will wash the stink off of this. Mr. Chirico made many promises on the campaign trail, he failed at every turn to come through on those promises, Mr. Chirico, the door is that way, please tip the door man on the way out, with your own money and not with the tax payer's credit card, maybe Mr. Gardiner can stand by you on your way out.
People in some of these comment sections often complain about people breaking into cars and stealing things, I'm not a bleeding heart by any stretch, but most of those people have addiction issues and are trying to survive. The mayor's actions were not a survival tactic, his actions were premeditated and based in complete hubris, arrogance and greed, period. The homeless steal from our vehicles and yards, he stole directly from our pockets.
Pierre is the reason there is a by-election, he couldn't accept defeat so his party bribed a back bencher so that Pierre could run. It would be wildly embarrassing for him if he loses to independent candidate Bonnie Critchley.
A banker who doesn't know how corporate credit cards and expenses work has no business leading a city. He would be fired on the spot in the private sector, he knows it, but he's from the old boys club so it will be swept under the rug. After going a few million over on the arena reno, what's 16k, right?
Everything is fine, just fine, look the other way. This mayor has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and has crumbs all over his face, and seven councillors are telling the public, those aren't crumbs. Shame on all of them.
Surprise Surprise, said no one ever at the lack of balogna fed to us by Mitchell. She appears to hold grudges and to be a bully. I may be wrong, but that's the impression she gives. A total let down as an elected official.
The more things change the more they stay the same, if Mr. Gardiner doesn't like the motion as written he should write one that suits him. Mr. Gardiner talked a great game prior to the election, however, he has fallen in line with the rest of those who served before him. I thought he would be a breath of fresh air, fool me once. The untouchable old boys club is alive and well in this city. Councilors need to call in an outside police agency to investigate, the tax payer keeps taking it in the ear.
One by one the dominoes start to fall, this is the first, but should not be the last of resignations and firings. When people start to leave their positions rather than stay on, they knew something was going on and were squashed by superiors. Up until such time as everyone who was complicit in fiasco part deux by the mayor, the tax payers have no reason to trust anything this council does, except for a couple. The OPP and forensic auditors need to step in, this has gone on for far too long. On another note, the mayor should never be on the police board.
Well done Ms. Peltier and Mr. FerrisMany on this council blocked justice Valin from presenting his report and they'll do the same with this report. They'll blah blah blah all day long with reasons why the report shouldn't see the light of day. The only transparent thing about these councillors is, they are transparent about not caring about what the tax payers of this city want or demand.
The mayor needs to step aside and not be in council chambers until such time as this is investigated completely by an outside agency. Either the mayor is cleared, charged or resigns, and the integrity commissioner's findings are irrelevant in this case, the integrity part of it we can determine for ourselves.
Turns out that Mr. Gardiner was more frugal with his own money when it came to his campaign than he is with the mayor's abuse of tax payer money with the tax payers' credit card, complete disappointment.
I'm absolutely no fan of the Vrebosches, but her expenditures do not absolve the mayor, Mr. Peter Chirico of his absolutely disgraceful spending of tax payer money for car washes, golf memberships , dog food , smokes, beer and chicken wings. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, everything needs to be put on the table. Will Mr. Gardiner stand by her, or is there a separate set of standards?
The tax payers OBJECT to all the secrecy and the status quo, council is in dire need of an enema. They can hide for now, but it will come out, there will be leaks from within, and council can't and wont be able to stop the flow.