Manitoba’s Auditor General, Tyson Shtykalo, released a report late last week examining allegations of wrongdoing involving several of the province’s municipalities, including two in the Parkland.
The report confirmed allegations that a former head of council at the Municipality of Ethelbert acted unilaterally, violating governance norms and conflict-of-interest rules.
Shtykalo indicated documentation provided by the municipality showed several instances of improper governance by the person in question, most of which involved circumventing the policies and procedures of the municipality and The Municipal Act.
The report included three examples:
- The former head of council purchased a vehicle through an online auction from Alberta, then travelled there to pick it up. The individual was reimbursed for their travel without any knowledge or approval of council.
- When the municipality offered surplus property for tender, the former head of council’s son was one of the bidders. Conflict of interest rules would require that the former head of council excuse himself from all discussions and council decisions of the sale. The former head of council refused to excuse himself from the discussion. Ultimately, the property was sold to his son.
- The former head of council ordered water and sewer lines for a project on his own instead of involving Public Works. He ordered the wrong size lines, resulting in an expense of several thousand dollars.
In another investigation, allegations that the Municipality of Swan Valley West purchased fire trucks without tendering, violating the municipality’s purchasing policy, were examined.
Shtykalo concluded the allegations were partially confirmed as two of the three fire trucks were not purchased in accordance with the Municipality’s purchasing policy. Additionally, one of the fire trucks was purchased without a council resolution until several months after the purchase.
The main focus of the report, requested by the Minister of Finance under Section 16 of The Auditor General Act, a cybersecurity incident involving the Municipality of Westlake-Gladstone.
Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.
