> Timeline gets reimagined for downtown Grimsby project /Pg 5 > DIA comedy night set for May 25 Pg 4 > GAMRU showcases new vessel Pg 6 > Lights out for Thursday @10 after 43 years Pg 15 Thursday, May 19, 2022 Vol. 11 Issue 3
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Signing authority issue gets included in forensic audit
By Mike Williscraft NewsNow After accusations of conducting a “witch hunt” by several councillors and being told to “stand down” by another, a motion to include a forensic audit of conduct during March/April 2021 signing authority transition was approved by Grimsby council 5-4. After a heated debate - with multiple “Points of Order” fired off - the key vote not in flipping what has become traditional 5-4 “party lines” was Coun. Dave Kadwell who voted in favour of the measure moved by Coun. Lianne Vardy. Coun. Dorothy Bothwell has been consistent in her mission to expose details of how the transition of the Town’s signing authorities was executed after several members of the municipality’s finance department were fired. Key among her concern was the termination of the director of finance at the time without council ap-
proval and a lengthy period when the Town did not have proper signing authorities in place, while the municipality’s banking institution was informed proper steps would be taken immediately to rectify the matter. Council had asked for a report, including a request to have its bank provide a written explanation for its end of the signing authority process, but Bothwell noted what was presented to council Monday was incomplete at best. “A number of councillors just don’t want to delve into this to ensure transparency and accountability under the Financial Act,” said Bothwell. “We’re leaving, with this report today, with a number of issues which are still unanswered and whether, in fact, the enactment of the bank was done within the proper legal framework of the Municipal Act and within the Financial Institution’s See FORENSIC, Page 3
First-hand lesson
Matteo Procaccini, 6, was hands on learning about firefighting during a demonstration with Grimsby firefighter Christian Giovannini, Saturday during Community Safety Day activities at the Peach King Centre. For more coverage, please see Page 10 McDonald - Photo