FOI legal opinion cost Town over $5,000

New Tecumseth Free PressDecember 7, 2012 

New Tecumseth’s November cheque registry – the summary of monthly expenses – shows a Nov. 28 entry to Feehely, Gastaldi in the amount of $5,368.07 dealing with a Freedom of Information (FOI) request registered on November 12.

The registry, however, does not provide any details as to what was involved, and at this post, Free Press Online had not been able to confirm the services in relation to an FOI request, Town solicitor Jay Feehely provided for that fee.

The cheque registry used to be included as part of a monthly report on the New Tecumseth council agenda until about 2004 when it stopped appearing shortly after then first term councillor Jess Prothero questioned the cost of office furniture. It’s a package that even councillors have to request to view. Essa Township still includes the monthly summary in its public agenda.

Link for the overall distribution of expenditures as at Nov. 30. (Note: unassigned are expenditures not directly related to a specific department – Includes payroll matters, various refunds, office supplies etc).