CBRM launches external investigation into credit card charges from previous administration

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality has recently launched an external investigation into outstanding credit card charges that date back over a year. The details surrounding this issue are shrouded in secrecy, with little information being released to the public.

A closed-door emergency meeting was held by council members at the city hall in Sydney, Nova Scotia, lasting for over two hours. The agenda for the meeting only stated that the topic was confidential legal advice. Following the meeting, councillors refrained from making any comments, and Mayor Cecil Clarke left without speaking to the press.

In an official statement sent out on Tuesday afternoon, CBRM revealed that an “unresolved financial issue from the previous administration” is hindering the creation of a financial forecast for the remainder of the fiscal year. As a result, the municipality has enlisted the help of Sydney lawyer Robert Sampson to conduct an investigation.

According to the statement, there has been a lack of supporting documentation for a “legislative” credit card that has been utilized over the past 14 months. CBRM policies mandate that all charges made on credit cards must be directly related to municipal business and require proper approvals and documentation.

Sampson has been tasked with auditing the credit card transactions and assigning expenses to the account. While it remains unclear what exactly a legislative credit card entails, CBRM’s legislative budget typically covers expenses related to council operations, meetings, travel, and councillors’ pay.

The exact amount charged to the credit card has not been disclosed, but CBRM’s annual legislative budget amounts to $1.7 million. When questioned if the matter could potentially involve criminal activity, it was stated that no one was available to provide an answer on Tuesday.

The municipality emphasized in its statement that no further comments will be made on the issue at this time. The investigation is ongoing, and more information may be released as it progresses.

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