Court date set for Richmond HIll councillor's appeal of election expenses audit
Beros appeal to be heart in Toronto May 18

Yorkregion.com
April 6, 2016
By Kim Zarzour

A court date has been set for next month for Councillor Greg Beros to appeal a decision to audit his 2014 election expenses.

The Joint Compliance Audit Committee ruled last July that Beros’ campaign finances should be investigated, as he may have breached the Municipal Act when he used public funds to mail a flyer during a time period when candidates were forbidden to do so.

The Ward 1 councillor had filed notice of appeal via Bay Street legal firm Aird & Berlis against the committee’s decision.

He is asking a judge to determine whether the decision of the audit committee is valid.

The matter will be heard Wednesday, May 18 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto.

Oak Ridges resident Kristi Kanitz brought the application for an audit forward.

In her submission, Kanitz said Beros mailed a campaign-style newsletter to almost 12,000 addresses in Ward 1 and billed the town. Town policy provided for a “blackout period” beginning Sept. 11, 2014, after which candidates are not permitted to use town resources to send out newsletters to their constituents.

However, documents presented at the audit hearing showed Beros delivered the piece of literature to Canada Post after that cut-off date.

The three-person committee voted unanimously to give the go-ahead to an investigation.

Beros is the first Richmond Hill politician to have campaign expenses brought before the Joint Compliance Audit Committee.

The committee is shared by all municipalities in York Region, except Markham.