RRC president under attack for spending

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This article was published 14/03/2013 (4563 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Red River College president Stephanie Forsyth found herself facing spending scrutiny Wednesday after several of her expense claims for items, including $205 golf shoes, were released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

And now the CTF’s Manitoba director, Colin Craig, is calling on the college’s board to seek reimbursement from Forsyth if any of the 14 claims are found to be unreasonable. The federation released the expenses claims after obtaining them through a freedom-of-information request.

In a letter addressed to Craig, Richard Lennon, chairman of the RRC board of governors, said the board “takes very seriously its responsibility for fiscal prudence” and will consider the items Craig pointed out for reimbursement.

Forsyth’s claims included expenses for golf shoes, car washes and winter tires for her BMW. The expense total from September 2010 to January 2013 was $78,842.21. The expenses go back to when Forsyth was named the college’s president and chief executive officer.

Craig said the CTF asked for the claims after receiving a tip. “There were huge ones and other ones that seemed to just cross over the line,” Craig said. “Golf shoes are not something people expense. If you golf, you’re expected to supply your own attire.”

The documents indicate she purchased $205 shoes from Golf Town for an unspecified tournament in which she represented the college.

The documents also show expensed a bag at the Vancouver airport for $134 and a number of expenses for her BMW, including insurance and a GPS device.