'I stand with the mayor:' North Bay city councillors vote down motion to investigate mayor's expenses

Martha Dillman · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 09, 2025 8:38 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 9

A question to person an audit instrumentality a person look astatine the mayor's expenses successful North Bay has been voted down by metropolis council.

The motion, on with respective amendments, was enactment guardant astatine a metropolis assembly gathering Tuesday night.

Mayor Peter Chirico is nether scrutiny aft it came to airy that helium charged immoderate idiosyncratic items costing $16,000 to the city's firm recognition card. During a property league past month, Chirico said he's embarrassed by the charges and they person been repaid. He besides called for the city's integrity commissioner to bash an autarkic survey connected the issue.

There person been calls for the politician to measurement down, not lone arsenic person of the city, but arsenic a subordinate of the North Bay constabulary board.

Chirico did not instrumentality portion successful the treatment astatine the gathering Tuesday night, but has said helium feels helium did thing wrong.

"We truly bash request a fulsome reappraisal of what happened," Coun. Jamie Lowery said.

"So essentially, a fulsome look into what has gone on, what has transpired, person an autarkic look connected it to guarantee that determination are nary different issues related to these types of issues with purchasing cards wrong the organization."

But a bulk of North Bay metropolis councillors were against probing into the expenses further, with the question being voted down 7-3.

"The harm to the mayor's estimation has already been done," said Coun. Gary Gardiner.

"Before making immoderate different decisions oregon comments, fto this study spot the airy of day. I basal with the mayor."

Coun. Mac Bain agreed, and said helium couldn't enactment it.

"Our unit noticed determination was an issue. They fixed the issue," helium said.

Coun. Tanya Vrebosch pushed to person the question passed.

"There's reasons why, there's thing wrong, ethically wrong," she said.

"And it's bad. And you guys are each astir to crook a unsighted oculus and not fto a process happen. There's questions inactive unanswered."