After being asked to pay more than $600 for information on the total cost of overseas trips by the municipality, Chatham’s John Cryderman is happy to see the report brought before Chatham-Kent council for free.
Cryderman filed a Freedom of Information request with the municipality in the spring after hearing Mayor Randy Hope speak about the return on investment on overseas trips. At that time, the mayor said travelling expenses totaled approximately $121,000 based on information he was given by administration. It was later clarified the information was only the mayor’s portion of costs since 2011.
After being told the total fee to provide information on the overseas spending since 2006 would be more than $1,300, Cryderman appealed the amount, which was reduced to $633. The FOI request and costs were appealed to the office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner in April and was sent to mediation to resolve.
“The enormous amount of time, resource and expense Chatham-Kent continues to incur by not disclosing has me perplexed,” Cryderman said of the staff decision to require an FOI request to get the information.
The issue, according to Cryderman, was still not resolved, but in an e-mail from municipal clerk Judy Smith on Monday, he was informed a report on the full costs of overseas trips for the mayor and administration from 2011 to 2017 was included in the council package for the June 25 meeting.
The report from Economic Development Director Michael Burton outlined the costs for the mayor and administration from 2011 to the present in response to a request from Coun. Doug Sulman on the costs.
The comprehensive report from Burton outlines where foreign investment was pursued and the results, both negative and positive, as well as what is still pending. For costs, Burton outlined the mayor’s Foreign Direct Travel costs from 2011 to present at $121,948.22 as the mayor reported. Economic development staff expenses, including transportation, accommodation, meals, translation services, consultants, delegation visit gifts and an “other” category totaled $316,332.81 in the same time frame.
With those expenses, advertising, and delegation hosting expenses, the report puts the total at $632,963.74 less $126,009 in federal funding. The total average annual expense for pursuing foreign investment Burton reports is $72,421.98.
While Cryderman said the report doesn’t go back to 2006 as he requested, he is withdrawing his FOI appeal with the province.
“The information report for council responds to most of the scope of the FOI and subsequent appeal, in that, the appeal requested all costs from 2006 rather than from 2011 onward. However, the principal of the matter has been met – being open, transparent, accurate, complete and comprehensive involving taxpayers and council,” Cryderman said in his response to the news of the report to council. “No one should have to draw swords in order to have this information brought forward. The overseas investment is a separate and significant project, requiring each involved department to track and maintain its own costing related to this project and submit the required quarterly variance report.”
“I’m not condemning the mayor or anyone for looking overseas to grab investment, however, keeping the spending of tax dollars under the radar of council and the public does not sit well. I confirm notifying the IPC to withdraw any further action in this matter.”
