Mayor says she's sorry about all the bruin-haha

Canada.com Kent Spencer, The Province Published: Wednesday, October 25, 2006
White Rock Mayor Judy Forster apologized yesterday for confusion caused by her purchase of three spirit bears for $35,000. But Coun. Stewart Peddemors said the mayor stopped short of explaining why she spent funds without council's approval. Forster bought the fibreglass bruins at a charity auction raising money for children. "I want to sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding," she said in a written public apology directed to council, the city manager and taxpayers.She told The Province: "I want everybody to be clear that I went to the auction with the best of intentions. If councillors don't want to spend $5,000, that's fine. There will be no taxpayers' dollars spent. It will all be funded privately." EPCOR, the city's private water supplier, has given $5,000; Bosa Properties has given $11,000 and Forster has donated $1,000. Peddemors said the mayor's apology should have been about her "unauthorized" actions instead of "misunderstanding." "I will be asking for a public accounting," he said. "If she doesn't raise the funds, who is going to pay? The $34,990 invoice should be given to her, not the city." Peddemors noted the city is still almost $18,000 short. "The optics are poor because she is asking for funds after the fact. She is asking for favours from businesses to help her out of a situation that she created."