By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Things appear to be quiet within the swimming community.
The clubs are still registering new swimmers while they work on the programs that will be offered in September.
The RFP that was awarded to the GHAC Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club (GHAC) requires that 80% of the swimmers live in Burlington.
It isn’t clear as to just when the city is going to ask for numbers from the clubs.
The registration data is collected by Swim Ontario.
The effort to have an audit done on just how the awarding of the RFP was arrived at is still in play.
There are few questions on what the process should be. Reports are that the city auditor is on side and is prepared to take on the task if instructed to do so. The sticking point is understood to be – where will the funds to carry out the audit come from.
The auditor’s workload is pretty much in place.
The decision to proceed will be made at a Council meeting sometime in September.
The first step will be a Motion tabled by a Council member that has to be seconded by another Council member.
Once the Motion is on the table, it will be debated (vigorously). It will need four council members to pass.
The Audit Committee has looked at procurement practices in the past. There was a report released on September 11, 2024
Summary: To ensure procurement transactions for goods/services under $50,000 are compliant to the City’s Procurement By-Law and applicable corporate policies and procedures.
Audit results: Three low-risk findings that focused on policy improvements, better training compliance and data analytics.
Current members of the Audit Committee are:
Councillor Kearns
Councillor Sharman
Mathew Moore
Etienne Durafour
Michael Di Iulio
Kartik Gupta
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, an ex-officio voting member of the Committee
Mayor Meed Ward
The members of the audit committee don’t do anything unless directed by Council.
It’s all doable – but it will be a tight, politically based fight.
The Audit Committee reports to Council; its report is not signed off on by anyone in the Administration
The Mayor will not want all the facts made public.
hehe … I said a month ago … a few times as matter of fact …. ‘this is going to be fun to watch” … a taxpayer-funded magic act where the truth disappears. A slow-motion train wreck with a City of Burlington logo on it.”