Sudbury children's aid director Colette Prevost racked up $90K hotel bill

The $90,000 hotel bill singled out by Ontario's auditor general last week came out of the budget of the Sudbury children's aid society.

The audit report shows that almost $90,000 was spent over two years for a Toronto hotel room, including over $10,000 in incidentals such as parking and telephonecharges.

"The Societydid not consider more cost-effective optionssuch as leasing a condominium, which couldhave reduced Society costs considerablyperhaps by as much as 50 per cent," the report reads.

"We were alsoadvised that the hotel room that was rentedwas used less than 50% of the time in the firstyear, which further questions the rationale forthe annual rental."

Colette Prevost, the former executive director of the Sudbury and Manitoulin children's aid society, has acknowledged that she claimed those expenses.

She declined an interview, but did release this statement:

"I have worked in the social services sector for over 30 years.The time in question, while I was with the Sudbury CAS, I was commuting regularly to Toronto to represent Northern agencies on province-wide projects and initiatives. The expenses I incurred in this time were all Board approved,those work-related expenses deemed outside Board policy, I am reimbursing."

Prevost, who headed up the Sudbury children's aid from 2008 until earlier this year, is now CEO of the York Region children's aid society.

Her successor as executive director of the Sudbury CASElaina Groves also refused an interview but did provide a statement.

It reads:

"The former Sudbury Manitoulin Executive Director represented the North on a numberof provincial committees that required frequent travel to Toronto resulting in travelexpenditures including car rental, parking, hotel accommodation and meals.

The former Executive Director proposed a long term hotel accommodation in Torontowith the understanding it would be used by her and other members of our Society whoalso routinely travel to Toronto and the Board approved this arrangement with theunderstanding that it was going to be a significantly lower cost than the daily hotelroom rate. Unfortunately the unit did not end up being used as much as anticipated.

The Board accepts responsibility for this oversight and has put in new proceduresand policies to ensure all travel expenditures be more closely reviewed.

In addition, the former executive director reimbursed the Society for expensesthat were not consistent with the Society's policies."