672 replies to this topic

[spanky123]

I find it incredible that no one questioned his credit card expenses while he was in office.

I'd like to know when the library board first learned of the problem with Holmes's spending. My impression right now is that this has only come to light because a TC reporter decided to look at Holmes's record while he was in Victoria, after the incident in Windsor became public. Is this really news to the board, too, or have they known since Holmes's departure and said and done absolutely nothing about it?

Given that the story about Holmes' departure keeps changing (initial he quit now the board is saying that he left by mutual consent), my guess is that the board knew there was an issue and tried to cover it up.

[martini]

I find it incredible that no one questioned his credit card expenses while he was in office.

I'd like to know when the library board first learned of the problem with Holmes's spending. My impression right now is that this has only come to light because a TC reporter decided to look at Holmes's record while he was in Victoria, after the incident in Windsor became public. Is this really news to the board, too, or have they known since Holmes's departure and said and done absolutely nothing about it?

Yes. Inquiring minds want to know.
I think there should be a full audit/investigation.

That's why I find this quite insulting. Move along folks! Nothing to see here!

Library board says public concern over finances unwarranted after former CEO charges $131K to taxpayers

By Sandra McCulloch, Times Colonist November 27, 2012


http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz2DWoPqYB9

It's vital that publicly funded bodies are careful about how tax money is spent, said Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin.

Hard times mean leaders of public bodies should tighten their belts, said Fortin.

"Clearly, as we head into an age of austerity, every body - whether it be municipal or police boards or library boards - [is] looking at ways that we can reduce and evaluate what we're doing," said Fortin.

"It does come home that we have a responsibility as civic leaders to keep that tight rein and check on the public purse."

Is it the mayor's place to jump into this issue?

[Holden West]

"Clearly, as we head into an age of austerity, every body - whether it be municipal or police boards or library boards - [is] looking at ways that we can reduce and evaluate what we're doing," said Fortin.

"It does come home that we have a responsibility as civic leaders to keep that tight rein and check on the public purse."

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz2DWwVUrjC

Was there some sort of competition to find how many empty cliches you can fit into one sentence? Entering an era of austerity? Haven't we been in an era of austerity for the last four years?

[Mike K.]

"It does come home that we have a responsibility as civic leaders to keep that tight rein and check on the public purse."

That goes without saying.

[martini]

Was there some sort of competition to find how many empty cliches you can fit into one sentence? Entering an era of austerity? Haven't we been in an era of austerity for the last four years?

Hence the nickname Bla Bla Fortin

[martini]

Library board confident expenses of former CEO can be justified

Credit card passed around staff in former CEO's name: chairman
By Sandra McCulloch, Times Colonist November 28, 2012
http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz2DZRaQ3Ew

"There was a card that was passed around among staff for library expenses, so many of these expenses were not made by the CEO."

For the first time, Roessingh commented on specific purchases raised in earlier media reports: The $500 purchase from Surf to Serf, a Vancouver manufacturer of hemp-based body products, was not for body cream but for lip balm that was given to teens as a promotional item, he said.

"We want to explain the whole darn thing," he said. "We want to be open, we want to be accountable, we want to be completely transparent."

From September 2006 to February 2009, a MasterCard in Holmes's name was passed around to various people. While Roessingh said the board now has good procedures, he acknowledged that passing a credit card around "was a process that didn't work very well."

Now individuals have their own cards and they are responsible for their own expenditures.

The fact the statements had check marks and initials on them prove there was oversight at the time, Roessingh said, "and we're going over them again, just to make sure those were legitimate expenses.

"We're pretty sure we can account for the whole works. Mr. Holmes didn't leave with stuff that belonged to the library."

[spanky123]

Good grief. The solution to having a CEO expensing questionable charges to a corporate credit card is to give everyone their own corporate credit card!

How about having people charge their own personal card and then submit expense reports and receipts like 99% of the civilized corporate world does? Bet that expenses drop by about 50% in that case.

[martini]

Good grief. The solution to having a CEO expensing questionable charges to a corporate credit card is to give everyone their own corporate credit card!

How about having people charge their own personal card and then submit expense reports and receipts like 99% of the civilized corporate world does? Bet that expenses drop by about 50% in that case.

You are making too much sense. Stop it.

[VicHockeyFan]

Good grief. The solution to having a CEO expensing questionable charges to a corporate credit card is to give everyone their own corporate credit card!

Yes, that struck me as odd too.

How about having people charge their own personal card and then submit expense reports and receipts like 99% of the civilized corporate world does? Bet that expenses drop by about 50% in that case.

And if it's a big expense (say, $500 for lip balm promotional items) then use purchase orders and cheques. Big purchases should not be done on a whim with a credit card.

[Redd42]

And if it's a big expense (say, $500 for lip balm promotional items) then use purchase orders and cheques. Big purchases should not be done on a whim with a credit card.

Actually having a credit card for purchases is fairly common for public servants in my experience. When I worked at UVic in management (at least 10 years ago) , I had a credit card. There was some limit on it that I don't remember and it was restricted so it wouldn't work at some types of businesses. Before that it was purchase orders for everything and that was very painful and inefficient.

[Sparky]

Somebody please help me.

Why on this green earth is the Library purchasing lip balm to give away as a promotional item?????

[UrbanRail]

Somebody please help me.

Why on this green earth is the Library purchasing lip balm to give away as a promotional item?????

Because having overdue library books gives you chapped lips? =D

[Hotel Mike]

Hey Sparky. I heard an explanation on the radio yesterday, that it was done once about four years ago, in a promotion that was meant to attract young female new readers. I mean, who knows if that might have worked.

[VicHockeyFan]

Hey Sparky. I heard an explanation on the radio yesterday, that it was done once about four years ago, in a promotion that was meant to attract young female new readers. I mean, who knows if that might have worked.

Of all the thing to stick your logo on, it's not a bad one really. Maybe it was in conjunction with skin-cancer awareness or something.

[Mike K.]

One credit card means one annual fee. The GVPL was trying to save us money

[Sparky]

Hey Sparky. I heard an explanation on the radio yesterday, that it was done once about four years ago, in a promotion that was meant to attract young female new readers. I mean, who knows if that might have worked.

Thanks Hotel Mike. Geepers Creepers, I would like to see the study that recommended free (logo'd) lip balm given to young girls equals more borrowers.

[spanky123]

Actually having a credit card for purchases is fairly common for public servants in my experience. When I worked at UVic in management (at least 10 years ago) , I had a credit card. There was some limit on it that I don't remember and it was restricted so it wouldn't work at some types of businesses. Before that it was purchase orders for everything and that was very painful and inefficient.

Credit cards and purchase orders are not mutually exclusive. Most organizations have preset spending thresholds above which you need prior permission. Once you have permission how you pay for it is a seperate matter.

Issuing credit cards to staff makes things more convenient for the staff member but can be fraught with potential problems (as we see). If people need to expense purchases on their own cards they are far more likely to think twice beforehand about making the purchase and will always make sure they retain proper receipts.

[jonny]

Credit cards and purchase orders are not mutually exclusive. Most organizations have preset spending thresholds above which you need prior permission. Once you have permission how you pay for it is a seperate matter.

Issuing credit cards to staff makes things more convenient for the staff member but can be fraught with potential problems (as we see). If people need to expense purchases on their own cards they are far more likely to think twice beforehand about making the purchase and will always make sure they retain proper receipts.

They are mutually exclusive if the organization has a coherant purchasing policy.

Credit cards are much cheaper to administer than going through the expense approval process which requires staff and overhead. They are more convenient, which means there are less internal controls associated with their administration.

The company I work for distributes credit cards to departments and certain employees who are advised to purchase insignificant corporate items with them rather than submitting expense claims and being reimbursed. Goods and services below a certain threshold are supposed to be purchased with a departmental credit card. Submitting an expense claim, having your manager approve the expense, having accounts payable cut you a cheque or administer an EFT are all expenses to the company.

Where I work, employees who have company credit cards need to reconcile the purchases to that card each month. The reconciliation is used to charge those purchases against that department's budget so the budget holder is responsible just like they would be with an expense claim.

It would certainly be much easier to purchase questionable items through a corporate credit card than expensing because there is a lot less control. If I make an expense claim, it goes to my manager for approval. But if a manager has a deparmental credit card, they are able to purchase items without anybody direcly approving of the expense. That being said, our credit card purchases are audited, so employees who had a habit of making questionable purchases would likely be caught. Audits are never comprehensive though, so organizations generally have purchasing limits on their corporate credit cards.

[VicHockeyFan]

Issuing credit cards to staff makes things more convenient for the staff member but can be fraught with potential problems (as we see). If people need to expense purchases on their own cards they are far more likely to think twice beforehand about making the purchase and will always make sure they retain proper receipts.

Exactly.

Funny story, back in the early 90's when I worked for a company where we drove company cars, when a friend of mine was hired on temporarily, I jokingly told him the great thing about the company cars, along with the Shell gas card, is that you can throw on pop and chips when you are filling up. He did not know I was joking, so he sure enough did add snacks occasionally. He did get called into the office on it, but the manager was surprisingly forgiving. I'm sure it was less than $20.

[Matt R.]

I wonder who got all the Air Miles and what they did with them?

As a newly minted business owner I am looking forward to cashing in on tax-free Air Miles (for now). Surely the library got some sort of kick back, maybe free chap stick?

Matt.