Sarnia's mayor says he did not personally benefit in any way from a $10,000 Bluewater Power donation for Chris Hadfield's Canada Walk of Fame celebration last August.
Councillor Nathan Colquhoun has filed a motion for city council's Monday meeting seeking clarification of Bluewater Power's financial statements.
One of the items he's raised is a Hadfield party donation that Colquhoun said was authorized to the mayor March 25, 2020 as part of his 2019 expense declaration.
Mayor Mike Bradley said the councillor should have directly asked him, or Chief Administrative Officer Chris Carter, about it first.
"There was no involvement of myself personally in any money sent by Bluewater Power to sponsor the Chris Hadfield birthday party, which was a huge success for the community," said Bradley. "They donated $10,000 from their community fund, just like they made a major donation to help us with the [field] hospital, we needed to have as a backup for COVID. So, the inference is very, very disturbing. The fact is, money that was paid by Bluewater Power went directly to the city and not to me."
Bradley said the spending was also claimed in the council accounts, not his.
In his motion, Colquhoun also questions the utility's reporting of salaries, wages and benefits and whether Bluewater Power is apolitical.
He's asking that board directors Firman Bentley and Richard Grogan be available to answer questions at a future council meeting.
Councillor Mike Stark, who has questioned Bluewater Power's appointment of board members several times in the past, has also filed a motion for Monday's meeting.
He's questioning why the utility is even donating money to events when the City of Sarnia is its majority shareholder.
