Calgary council strips Joe Magliocca of deputy mayor duty over failure to apologize for expense claims

Calgary city council has decided not to allow Coun. Joe Magliocca to serve as deputy mayor next year because the Ward 2 representative has still not apologized for making improper expense claims.

Magliocca was scheduled to fill in for Mayor Naheed Nenshi when necessary in the month of February.

However, council stripped him of that duty on Monday.

Earlier this year, a forensic audit uncovered numerous problems with the councillor's expenses and found that he had improperly claimed nearly $6,000 in the past two years.

He has repaid that money.

But the independent audit also raised outstanding questions regarding another $10,000. One of the unresolved issues was how to deal with seven flight upgrades he charged to the city.

Earlier this month, council's finance committee voted 9-0 to request Magliocca pay back the $3,200 difference between what he claimed and the average of what other council members claimed for flights to those events.

Magliocca had already repaid in excess of $500, leaving $2,700 outstanding.

Following the audit, council also voted to issue a letter of reprimand to Magliocca, requesting he write a public letter of apology and take training on proper city procedures.

Months later, Magliocca has not made that public apology.

A special audit earlier this year found Magliocca claimed $5,600 for expenses he should not have filed.

Nenshi says it's possible Magliocca could be put back into the deputy mayor schedule if he were to make the requested apology.

"I suppose it could but I'm not sure he's all that excited to do it anyway. Certainly the council unanimously asked for that apology and it has not come," he said.

The councillor's expense claims have been turned over to the RCMP for further investigation.