Township officials are to quiz their counterparts in Ottawa about the Ontario city’s new fraud and waste hotline.
Ottawa recently implemented the hotline on the advice of its auditors and, Township Councillor Kim Richter said, the line has been well received by residents and taxpayers.
The Township is pursuing the potential for setting up its own hotline after Richter’s motion was endorsed by council on July 11.
Staff will explore the cost and who will manage the hotline.
Ottawa’s fraud and waste hotline is intended to be used by Ottawa City Hall employees and the public, but not elected officials and their staff, the Ottawa police or those who work at the city’s public libraries.
Operated by a third party, the hotline’s information is collected by an independent company and passed on to the city’s auditors who review each case and investigate when warranted.
Claims of fraud or waste are laid anonymously by phone or e-mail, and are kept confidential.
Among the activities classified as fraud or waste are forgery and misappropriate of funds, misuse of city property, equipment, materials, records or time, and fraudulent claims of reimbursement of expenses.
Others include misuse of city-owned hardware and software, unauthorized use of city property, and inappropriate manipulation or destruction of data.
A report to Township council is expected in the autumn.