[GWN7]

Our mayor likes the Rob Ford story. It's taking the pressure off of him and his buddies. Couple of years ago a real-estate salesman buddy (who was also the mayors business partner in a US company) needs a job. So he gets hired as the city's Property & Development Manager. He should be a expert as he sold houses, right? A couple years later the CEO retires and the same buddy gets that job. After all he is a department manager so that makes him perfect to run a city, right? The now CEO drafts special contracts for construction projects that only another buddy of the mayor (and his business partner) can bid on. These projects are now $20 million over budget and the mayors business partners want to get paid. The sad part is they probably will.

The same mayor took his staff and friends out for dinner and billed the city ($2,000 or $3,000) for the dinner. The problem is the restaurant they went to was owned by the mayor. Another restaurant owner complain that this is a conflict of interest and a lawsuit ensues. The judge find the mayor was in conflict of interest but it was only a little conflict and shouldn't be removed from office. The act says conflict, you are out of the job. Being appealed now.