HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s municipal affairs minister says municipal politicians and senior officials should follow a provincial model of publicly disclosing any spending on food, liquor or other expenses charged to taxpayers.
Zach Churchill says issues with the handling of public funds in Richmond County highlight the need for a more transparent system of posting expenses.
Churchill says all expenses for members of the legislature are posted online and that’s a good model for municipalities to take on.
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Senior officials and a former warden of Richmond County have come under public scrutiny after private citizens applied for expense receipts under freedom of information legislation for liquor, food and other items and then posted them online.
The controversy prompted chief administrative officer Warren Olsen to announce Wednesday he will take a leave of absence.
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An ombudsman’s report contained criticism focused on Olsen and former warden Steve Sampson for spending tens of thousands of dollars on travel, alcohol and various other items.
Churchill says his department is going to devote specific attention to the Richmond County case, as well as considering wider reforms.
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