Library eliminating credit cards

by Tom Morrison

The Windsor Public Library will be eliminating credit cards to avoid future misuse of conduct.

Purchasing cards, which can only be used for specific purchases, will be used in place of credit cards. These are similar to cards used by the City of Windsor, whose finance department will see the statements of card users. Council approved this policy at the Oct. 15 meeting where Coun. Al Maghnieh received a 90-day pay suspension for using his library credit card for personal expenses.

Acting CEO of the library Chris Woodrow said this change will help win back community confidence in the library.

“We believe the Purchasing Card Program will provide the community and city council with a level of confidence that was missing,” said Woodrow in an e-mail. “With predetermined parameters on use, the recent issues could not have happened.”

Woodrow said policy changes were under review for a while, but the Maghnieh scandal helped speed up this change. He explained how these purchasing cards will work.

“The purchasing card allows us to define where a card can be used and what it can be used for,” Woodrow said. “For example, staff would not be able to use it on travel, meals or accommodation. An accompanying policy has been implemented on travel and staff will be reimbursed for authorized travel expenditures.”

Ward 2 Coun. Ron Jones said he hopes this change will bring transparency and credibility.

“Certainly, there’s been a shadow cast over process at the library in the last few months and with the city scrutinizing these cards, it will enhance the process.”