OPP to investigate misspending by Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell and council
Peel Region Police turn over damning audit documents that found the city’s rules were repeatedly broken, particularly by Fennell.
thestar.com
Sept. 15, 2014
By San Grewal
The Ontario Provincial Police will handle an investigation into the expenses of Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell and the city’s councillors, following a forensic audit that found spending rules were repeatedly broken.
“I can confirm that we did receive a request dated Sept. 11 from (Peel police) Chief (Jennifer) Evans,” OPP Sgt. Peter Leon said Monday. “We're going to have a member of our anti-rackets branch do a review of the reviews that have been conducted by the forensic auditor and the integrity commissioner.”
After that initial review, Leon said, the findings will determine the next steps.
“It's very early in our part of the review process. This could be a lengthy process - I wouldn't want to speculate,” he said.
The audit by Deloitte Canada determined that Fennell and her staff broke spending rules in 266 transactions over seven years, with a value of $172,000.
The other 10 members of council were found to have violated spending rules on amounts totalling almost $43,000, not including a few reimbursements made to the city.
Peel Police Staff Sgt. Dan Richardson confirmed that “everything was turned over to the OPP.”
That means the Peel force will not be involved, which is what Brampton council requested in early August when it passed the motion to request a police investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing. Fennell is a long-standing member of the region's police services board, which oversees the police department.
Peel police initially received the audit because the force has jurisdiction; it had the option of handling the investigation itself or passing it on to an outside body.
The audit of Fennell’s expenses found that, in addition to the 266 transactions that violated the rules, a further 79 transactions totalling $156,000 may have done so - but Fennell didn’t provide sufficient documentation for Deloitte to make a determination.
Fennell had 38 transactions worth $144,150 for a private limo service, but could not provide documentation to show the limo was used for city business.
As a result of the audit, the city’s new integrity commissioner, Robert Swayze, ruled two weeks ago that Fennell “knowingly” violated travel spending rules, and that she had broken the city’s code of conduct.
His ruling means council may impose a penalty, up to stripping Fennell’s pay for a maximum of 90 days.
Last Wednesday, minutes before a public meeting at which Fennell was to be told she owed the city $34,000 and council was to debate a possible punishment, she announced her intention to take legal action against Deloitte Canada and the integrity commissioner for “exceeding” their mandates - as well as the Star and some councillors. That move forced council to postpone any discussion.
Council now plans to discuss a potential penalty at a special council meeting either this Wednesday or next Wednesday, once all parties have received legal advice on how to proceed.
On Aug, 6, councillors voting to send the audit findings to police expressed hopes for a decision before the Oct. 27 municipal election. Fennell is seeking a fifth term as mayor.
