Vaughan
November 29, 2008 12:55 AM
Caroline Grech
Exactly how photocopies of city cheques ended up at media outlets last week will be investigated, city manager Michael DeAngelis said.
“With regard to the request by Regional Councillor Frustaglio on how the cheques were provided to the media — which is a serious matter — will be investigated and reported to council,” Mr. DeAngelis said.
His statement came days after the cheques totalling more than $30,000 were leaked to media outlets in an anonymous package, which also included field orders and corporate searches, linking the companies on the cheques to Ms Frustaglio’s son, Steve Frustaglio.
The cheques prompted a war of words between Ms Frustaglio and Mayor Linda Jackson, who both called for an investigation into the matter.
An incensed Ms Frustaglio called the leak of the cheques a breach of confidentiality and, along with her lawyer, asked that a full and complete probe be undertaken by the city.
One of the questions Ms Frustaglio wants answered is who handled the cheques from the time they were printed to when they were delivered to her home.
Ms Frustaglio has the authority to sign city cheques in the mayor’s absence, as was the case when she signed the cheques in question in August 2007.
Mr. DeAngelis said his findings will be put in a report to council as soon as possible.
Mayor Linda Jackson said this week she had become aware of Vitriflex, a company once owned by Ms Frustaglio’s son, and went to the city manager with concerns.
Mr. DeAngelis said he is satisfied that any work went through the proper channels of approval.
“At the mayor’s request back in the fall, I had investigated the work done by Vitriflex and determined that the proper procurement process had been followed,” Mr. DeAngelis said.
On the heels of the leaked cheques, another document was sent anonymously to the Citizen’s e-mail inbox Thursday — a letter that Ms Frustaglio drafted to her colleagues about the cheque situation.
Ms Frustaglio verified the letter’s authenticity but said it was simply a draft she had written and hadn’t even decided when or if she would send it to her fellow councillors.