An additional review of 91原创 City mayor Val van den Broek鈥檚 Jan. 25 fundraiser was ordered by City council Monday night.
The request came down following presentation of a report that said, while RCMP officers were not directly paid overtime to attend the event, remarks by the officer in charge (OIC) of the 91原创 detachment created 鈥渃onfusion.鈥�
READ MORE: RCMP were not paid to attend 91原创 gala, report says
Councillor Nathan Pachal spoke in favour of a 鈥渕ore detailed鈥� review being needed to outline actual expenses to the City. He specifically pointed to the potential cost of having RCMP officers work four-hour overtime shifts to make up for the individual costs incurred in buying tickets to the Winter Wonderland gala.
An initial report was presented by Paul Gill, the former Maple Ridge general manager of finance and corporate services. But Pachal called it 鈥渒ind of vague in the costs.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important that we get the full picture,鈥� Pachal added.
Coun. Paul Albrecht said the new review should also look at potential costs incurred by City employees, calling for a 鈥渃ompetent and complete forensic audit鈥� to put the matter to rest.
Coun. Rudy Storteboom agreed, saying 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a little bit more to this story.鈥�
Storteboom also supported Gill鈥檚 recommendation that a code of conduct be considered, complete鈥渨ith consequences鈥� for members of council. It鈥檚 something Storteboom said he has lobbied for.
Coun. Gayle Martin convinced council to delay 鈥� until after the financial analysis is done 鈥� any decisions on a code of conduct, along with the recommendation that councillors meet with the OIC to establish expenditure protocols and expectations for future initiatives like this.
Van den Broek, who voted against the delay on the code of conduct and OIC meeting, and against the additional review, said the Gill report shows there is a lack of clear City guidelines for events like the fundraiser she organized.
鈥淥ur policy isn鈥檛 well enough worded, or detailed enough, to provide the kind of specific guidance that is required,鈥� van den Broek said.
鈥淲e need to clarify the requirements of our policy going forward, so that the basis for proceeding with events like this is known and understood.鈥�
The mayor noted the event raised $56,000 for the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation to buy equipment to detect ovarian and breast cancer at an early stage.
鈥淚鈥檓 not perfect, and there were things about this event that probably weren鈥檛 perfect either,鈥� she said.
鈥淏ut the good we have done for the community remains the most important and lasting result from this gala, and I鈥檓 hoping for the chance to hold other events like this, and do an even better job.鈥�
If concerns arise in the future about such an event, council members should discuss those concerns 鈥渋n a proper meeting setting, so we can all work together,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 understand I am not the mayor the majority of you wanted, but we have to start working together 鈥� which is what the community expects of us all,鈥� van den Broek said.
A date for the financial report is unknown, but City chief administrative officer Francis Cheung said it would be as soon as possible.
READ MORE: 91原创 City mayor and council clash over gala
In his review, Gill addressed the reference to an email sent to 91原创 officers from OIC Supt. Murray Power about RCMP overtime and the mayor鈥檚 gala.
In the message encouraging detachment members to attend, Power pointed out that a four-hour overtime shift would be enough to cover costs of two people attending.
鈥淎s far as the OIC is concerned, there was no intent to pay overtime,鈥� Gill wrote.
鈥淩ather the intent was to make members aware that there were opportunities to earn additional income by doing meaningful work.鈥�
A total of 54 tickets were purchased by 35 officers, 19 of whom came with spouses or guests, for a total of $8,100.
鈥淭his is the first time that the detachment has participated in an event such as this, and the OIC regrets the confusion that has been created around the tickets purchased by the RCMP,鈥� Gill said.
In February, the 91原创 Advance Times submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the local RCMP regarding rumours that local officers were offered overtime hours if they attended the mayor鈥檚 inaugural fundraiser.
The media outlet did not receive the requested information, initially being told the officer responsible was away on leave.
Upon following up on Aug. 31, the Advance Times was told its request had been misdirected to 91原创鈥檚 Professional Standards Unit.
The Advance Times was subsequently redirected by RCMP regional headquarters to submit an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) 鈥� not an FOI 鈥� online at the federal level. That has since been done.
On Sept. 12, the Advance Times received a response from the RCMP, which confirmed the force was 鈥渦ndertaking the necessary search of our records.鈥�
The message apologized for the delayed response, saying 鈥渋n light of the current events related to COVID-19, our capacity to process requests is limited, as well, the capacity of personnel involved in the retrieval of records and/or provision of representations is similarly affected.鈥�
After concerns were raised about RCMP involvement in the event, Power was reassigned 鈥渢emporarily鈥� and without explanation to the RCMP鈥檚 E-Division regional headquarters in Surrey.
READ MORE: 91原创鈥檚 top cop reassigned amid charity gala questions
Gill鈥檚 report also addressed the use of 鈥渃orporate identity,鈥� in the form of the City coat of arms in connection with the gala, created the appearance that it was a City function 鈥� even though council did not endorse it.
In Gill鈥檚 view, that appeared to go against the intent of the City鈥檚 corporate identity and brand policy. And, while the City could have some legal exposure, 鈥渢his exposure is largely mitigated by steps that were taken by the mayor.鈥�
Among those steps; the agreement for use of the facility was in the 鈥減ersonal name of the mayor,鈥� liability insurance was arranged through a private company, a gaming licence was obtained for the raffles and 50-50 draw, liquor service was handled by the operator under their own licences and permits, the ticket sales were handled through Eventbrite 鈥渁nd an accounting of the admissions is available.鈥�
Gill suggested the City鈥檚 branding guidelines should be amended to 鈥渋dentify consequences for not abiding by the policy and the delegation of responsibility鈥� be reviewed.
鈥淥n a go-forward basis, where a member of council wishes to pursue an initiative like this, there should be formal consultation with council,鈥� Gill added.
He indicated the battle over the charity event is not the only matter dividing council members.
鈥淚t is important to note that the issues that I heard about [during my review] transcend the gala,鈥� he wrote.
鈥淚 urge council to work through these issues so that they can remain focused for the rest of the council term.鈥�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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