Region won’t clarify $14,000 error
This time around, the massive legal bill was not claimed by controversial St. Catharines regional councillor Andy Petrowski.
Recently released 2017 regional councillor expense data shows that Petrowski — who claimed, and was paid for, $44, 570 in legal bills in April 2017 — claimed an additional $14,318 in “external legal expenses.”
However, Petrowski denied he filed that expense and acting regional clerk Anne-Maire Norio confirmed Thursday it was an error.
However, she would not explain how the mistake was made, only saying in an email it “was an incorrect allocation due to an administrative error.”
“We have no further comment,” Norio wrote in an email when asked for details.
The expense report says Petrowski billed the Region for $14,318 for legal services from the Toronto legal firm of Boghosian & Allen in July 2017. The report does not specify why the firm was hired.
In an email to The Standard, Petrowski — who is currently on paid leave from regional council for undisclosed reasons — said he did not file the expense. Norio later confirmed the error.
Petrowski has filed for large external legal bills in the past, however.
In May 2017, interim integrity commissioner John Mascarin found Petrowski violated council’s code of conduct. Petrowski attempted to block the release of Mascarin’s reports by taking most of regional council to court, claiming the reports violated his rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The courts rejected Petrowski’s claim and ordered the councillor pay the Region $5,000 costs.
Shortly before the release of Mascarin’s reports, Petrowski billed the Region for more than $49,000 for consulting with Toronto family law attorney Elaine Gordon about them. The Region paid Petrowski $44,571 of that claim.
Petrowski, who said he won’t seek re-election in the fall, is on a paid leave of absence.