Junkin cannot prove claims against Pelham
One of the key figures in the ongoing controversy about Town of Pelham’s finances says he cannot prove his allegations about financial irregularities at the local government.
Former Pelham town councillor Marvin Junkin told The Standard Tuesday he has no supporting documentation or other evidence to support a series of claims he made about the town in an email, obtained by The Standard, sent to Grimsby regional Coun. Tony Quirk on Nov. 12.
“I don’t have anything. I would say my evidence is living a life of not being a ne’er-do-well,” Junkin said in an interview Tuesday. “My evidence is living the life of a good person.”
Junkin’s unproven claims about financial irregularities at the town became a basis for a motion passed by Niagara Region’s audit committee, chaired by Quirk, that called on the regional government to inform Pelham’s lenders of a “possible” change in the town’s financial position.
The allegations are expected to be a key part of a special town meeting Wednesday evening that will feature a presentation by the firm KPMG, which will release its audit report on the town.
Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn said the meeting was called for the audit presentation to answer questions some residents have about the town’s operations.
Residents were encouraged to send their questions or concerns to KPMG, and he expects they will be addressed during the meeting, he said.
“This is a meeting designed to answer questions,” Augustyn said. “We have asked the residents to be patient while the audit was ongoing. Now they will have the opportunity to have their questions answered.”
The audit arose out of questions local residents and some regional councillors had several months ago about the $36-million community centre and twinpad arena under construction in east Fonthill.
On Nov. 6, Junkin caught Augustyn and the rest of Pelham council off guard by resigning his seat.
Echoing his resignation letter, Junkin said Tuesday he quit council because he believes it “is heading down an increasingly unethical and dishonest path.”
On Nov. 12, Junkin sent his email to Quirk, making several allegations about the town.
“As head/member of the Region’s audit committee, I urge you and your fellow members to please investigate the allegations I have made, which I believe to be true,” Junkin wrote.
In the email, Junkin makes several allegations, including a claim that a secret forensic audit was done that showed money missing from town accounts and showed Pelham’s debt was $17 million greater than reported.
Junkin said his allegations stem from a Sept. 5 closed-door session of council. When The Standard asked Junkin several times if he had any documentation or supporting evidence for his claims, he said he didn’t.
Augustyn said that meeting was not about an audit, but about a KPMG report commissioned by the town’s lawyers in response to legal action threatened by an “identifiable individual.” Details of that meeting will be included in the KPMG report at the Wednesday meeting.
Although he provided no evidence for his claims, Junkin’s correspondence to Quirk nonetheless was used to form seven recommendations passed by the regional audit committee on Nov. 14.
Those recommendations were then passed by full council on Nov. 16. During that meeting, Augustyn called Junkin’s email “garbled, confused and inaccurate.”
Quirk defended the committee recommendations at the meeting saying they were based on “correspondence.”
“This isn’t hearsay. This isn’t garbled communications,” Quirk said.
During that meeting, Augustyn asked regional councillors to defer voting on the committee recommendations until KPMG reported on its audit. Council, however, voted to approve the recommendations.
Asked by The Standard if he has any plans to run for office in 2018, Junkin said “we’ll have to see how things work out.”
The meeting Wednesday is being held at 6:30 p.m. in E.L. Crossley Secondary School’s cafeteria. glafleche@postmedia.com twitter.com/grantrants