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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Ferguson Gets Grilled Over Council Presentation

Pension Board Lawyer Barry Morrison taking defendant John Ferguson to task over his three main assertions during a presentation to common council about problems with the pension board.

Morrison says Ferguson never had any documentation about independent pension advice being never provided, that the early retirement plan cost the pension plan far more than what was reported, and that there were errors in the city's financial statements.

Ferguson testified that motions being struck down on looking for advice would be his proof, there were discrepancies in the 2003 to 2005 financial statements, and a document from then city finance commissioner Andrew Beckett showed that the retirement packages cost 2.2 million dollars.

But Morrison countered and said that council at the time were only discussing the 2005 financial statements and there was no number to compare the 2.2 million dollar cost to.


Morrison also asked if it ever occured to Ferguson to mend fences with senior staff memebers in order to get to the root of any pension issues.

Ferguson testifed that if he had to do it all over again, he would but with greater resolve.


Ferguson returns to the stand tomorrow morning at 9 at the court of queens bench