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A Cape Breton woman whose work helped expose a spending scandal nearly a decade ago in Richmond County, N.S., says she’s worried the municipal council is forgetting some of the lessons learned from that experience.
However, the warden says the county has maintained tight spending controls since then and there is no cause for concern.
St. Peter’s resident Germaine MacDonald says some expenses that were cut after a scathing 2016 provincial ombudsman’s report have found their way back into the annual budget.
For example, she said, the county in 2022 brought back the staff Christmas party, which includes buying a turkey for each employee and council member, and cost Richmond County about $3,400 last year.
“These were similar expenses to back in the past and because there was such a public outcry back then, those types of expenses were taken out of the budget and then somehow they ended up back in the budget in the last few years,” MacDonald said.
“When I see things like these types of expenses, I worry that we’ll fall back into the old way of doing things.”
After a 2016 audit raised questions about the county’s credit card use, MacDonald used freedom of information law to dig deeper into the staff and council expenses.
Germaine MacDonald says the $3,400 Christmas party and turkey giveaway was notable in a troubled economy. By comparison, the county donates $2,000 to each of the area food banks. (Tom Ayers/CBC)
The provincial ombudsman then looked into the expense claims and eventually recommended a forensic audit that uncovered tens of thousands of dollars spent on travel and alcohol, and smaller amounts for things like Valentine’s Day flowers and taxi fare to a gentlemen’s club in Houston.
The ombudsman said that showed Richmond County had a “culture of entitlement” and that spending abuse was systemic.
The RCMP also investigated, but no charges were laid.
Recently, MacDonald made a freedom of information request for spending over the last four years and found what she calls questionable expenses.
She said the $3,400 Christmas party and turkey giveaway was notable in a troubled economy.
By comparison, the county donates $2,000 to each of the area food banks.
Offering staff incentives ‘a bit insensitive’
“We have a lot of people, seniors especially, who we’re hearing about that are finding it tough to put food on their table, to put oil in their tanks,” MacDonald said.
“You know, are they going to pay the rent or put food on the table? It’s a bit insensitive, maybe, to be offering these types of incentives for staff when there’s so many people in our area that’s struggling.”
She also found the county is spending up to $1,400 a year on coffee, tea and snacks for the office kitchen, including condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise and peanut butter.
MacDonald said employees of most private companies would normally be expected to pay for those things themselves.
Richmond County is also spending up to $600 a year on bottled water, which MacDonald questioned, saying the municipal office is connected to the county’s treated water system.
Warden Lois Landry says expenses raised by Germaine MacDonald are reasonable and help keep employees happy, so she has no concerns about the county’s financial controls. (Tom Ayers/CBC)
County Warden Lois Landry, a first-term council member, said the expenses are reasonable and help to maintain staff morale.
She said as far as she knows, councillors did not benefit from the Christmas turkey giveaway.
“My understanding is those turkeys were donated,” Landry said. “I can’t really speak to that. I didn’t get a turkey, so there may have been a turkey donated in my name to a food bank.”
She said the county doesn’t mind paying for things that help keep employees happy.
“I see a staff that has its heads down and is working really hard for residents in Richmond County, I really do, and so I don’t have concerns.”
‘Don’t blame residents for being hypervigilant’
Landry said she’s glad to have residents like MacDonald keeping an eye on county spending, given its history.
“We had some pretty terrible situations in Richmond, so I don’t blame residents for being hypervigilant,” she said.
“But happy to have some more conversations with council and with staff to drill down on some of those specifics.”
MacDonald said some people might say she’s merely nitpicking, but she believes council should treat taxpayers’ money better.
“Yes, it’s only a few dollars here and there, but when you add it up, that’s where the principle comes in,” she said.
“What may seem like $100 right now, you’re adding it all up and now we’re into the thousands of dollars. The money could be better spent somewheres else.”
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