Winnipeg Free Press
Friday, January 13th, 2006
By Bartley Kives
FORMER Winnipeg councillor and mayoral candidate Garth Steek has reached a tentative agreement with the city to repay questionable credit-card expenses racked up during his final months in office.
Since July 2005, the city has demanded the former River Heights representative fork over almost $9,000 to cover credit-card bills rung up during the first 20 weeks of 2004.
Now, Steek and a city lawyer have decided how much of that cash will be reimbursed and how much remains the city's responsibility, said Coun. Jae Eadie, head of the secretariat, the council committee that governs rules and regulations.
Closed-door
City solicitor Mark O'Neil will present details of the agreement to the secretariat at a closed-door meeting on Monday. Exactly how much money Steek will repay is a matter of legal privilege, said Coun. Harry Lazarenko, a member of the secretariat.
If the secretariat is satisfied with the arrangement, the city won't pursue legal action against Steek, who also pleaded guilty in provincial court yesterday for failing to file his campaign expenses on time for the 2004 civic election.
That means the City of Winnipeg will have no more issues with the controversial figure, now president of the Manitoba Home Builders Association.
"He was a councillor and he has a right to be heard, but that does not mean we have to forgive him," Lazarenko said.
Steek could not be reached for comment.
In a July interview with the Free Press, he said all his city hall expenditures were legitimate. He said he left his receipts on his desk the day he left city hall and staff knew they were waiting to get picked up.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca