Tourism and Culture Hires Waterfront Trust for $95,000, and Purchase Order Makes Non-Compliance with PO Policy List – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

September 11, 2017
UPDATED STORY HERE: More on Waterfront Trust $95,000 Contract to Execute Tall Ships for City’s Culture and Tourism Department
The deficit-plagued non-transparent Hamilton Waterfront Trust has received more money from City Hall.
The Tourism & Culture division hired the HWT for $95,000 without a proper purchase order number, in violation of the City’s procurement policy.
Following Monday’s Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee meeting, the City’s Director of Tourism and Culture Anna Bradford explained there was “a timing issue due to a staff illness”.
“This individual was supposed to have submitted a policy 11 for single-source provider. Work had already started as per the agreement with HWT; but, the policy 11 had not been submitted due to that individual being off sick.”
The Waterfront Trust was contracted by the City to “supply and deliver” the Rendez-vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta on Canada Day weekend.
The violation was reported by the City’s Finance division in their quarterly procurement non-compliance report.
The Hamilton Waterfront Trust has many City contracts in addition to its annual operating funding. The vast majority of them are not publicly reported, this was is known due to the technical violation of procurement procedures due to staff illness.
The HWT is presently locked in legal litigations, and subject to much public questions about their operations and finances.
Ward 2 City Councillor Jason Farr is refusing to answer any questions related to the Waterfront Trust, refusing to release minutes of the Trust, and refusing to release the financial status of the Waterfront Trust.
The City has not provided any information about the payment, or why it was proceeded in a non-compliant matter.
Councillors received the report without comment.