Hamilton Waterfront Trust greeted warmly by city councillors

The chair of the Hamilton Waterfront Trust has come out swinging against some recent criticism.

Bob Charters says the non-profit organization has been victimized by “false accusations” which are an “insult” to the board’s past and current volunteers.

Charters was at city hall on Wednesday to present financial statements to the General Issues Committee showing that revenues of $3.38 million were slightly higher than expenses of $3.36 million in 2016.

Charters added that “perception and reality can be two very different things”, citing recent reports of things like cost overruns and shoddy bookkeeping.

He calls those an “insult” to the board’s past and current volunteers who have worked to fulfill the trust’s mandate of bringing more activity to the waterfront.

Councillors have also heard from the trust’s auditor, Ed Brink of BDO, who confirms their report gives a “clean opinion” under Canadian accounting standards for a non-profit organization.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger says the presentation reaffirms his support for the Waterfront Trust, which he has “no doubt” is working in “the best interest of the taxpayers and has worked in the best interest of providing activity and opportunity at the waterfront.”

Councillors have voted to work with the trust to “develop options of mutual interest”, and they’ve also discussed requiring it make annual presentations at city hall, but Ward 7’s Donna Skelly was unable to draw any support to her call for a value for money, forensic audit” of the agency.

Flamborough Councillor Judi Partridge, who will be running against Skelly in next year’s provincial election, reacted to the “very thorough presentation” saying it’s “reprehensible that the waterfront trust’s reputation has been damaged in this way.”