THE JOB USED TO BE SO SIMPLE

I removed a post about fraud charges being laid against an employee of the City of Barrie.

The employee  charged was Manager of Facilities.

I had understood it to be City Manager. It makes a substantial difference. 

I wrote about authority of  the City Manager/ CAO to  spend without Council approval .

It's not the same for Manager of Facilities.  

My mistake . I apologize  to anyone in Barrie who might read the blog .I know of at least one. Marnie, sweetheart of my son Martin and mother of my grandchildren. 

Still, millions were stolen. Considering  the checks and balances, it's difficult to understand how so much  could have been drained from the city treasury under the nose of the Treasurer and or the Mayor whose signatures both have to be on city cheques and both of whom share responsibility for oversight. 

I guess the city's insurance will want an explanation of the circumstances before they indemnify the loss.

Then there's the annual audit required by the Municipal Act. How could double invoicing to the tune of $3 million pass competent audit for four years .

That's an awful lot of people with explaining to do. Including that fellow who just bought the leadership of the Provincial Conservatives. The fraud  happened during his watch in Barrie. 

Of course ,even if he  wondered how  $3 million could disappear without making a hole in a budget, he wouldn't have been able to say anything without being in contravention of a  Code of Conduct if Barrie has a Code of Conduct .

Because if the City has  a Code, it means even if he thought stuff was going on that shouldn't be going on and  even though he was elected to represent the people whose tax dollars are being used for something they should not have  been used for....he could not have  said anything  because that's against the Code ,don't you know.

Rules to live by.