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Mayor's Email includes nude statue photo

A third, previously undisclosed Email exchanged over the weekend between Mayor John Rowswell (shown) and chief administrative officer Joe Fratesi included a snapshot of a nude statue in Tokyo, SooToday.com has learned.
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A third, previously undisclosed Email exchanged over the weekend between Mayor John Rowswell (shown) and chief administrative officer Joe Fratesi included a snapshot of a nude statue in Tokyo, SooToday.com has learned.

The photo was clearly a reference to the recent flap over nude sculptures at the John Rhodes Community Centre, Fratesi said.

It may also have been an attempt by the Mayor to patch things up after a testy exchange of Emails between Fratesi and Rowswell two days earlier, the CAO said.

SooToday.com learned of the third message's existence during discussions with Fratesi this afternoon about our pending application under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for copies of all Emails exchanged between City Hall and the Mayor since his departure for Japan.

Fratesi did not immediately release the third Email to us, but said it was sent to him by the Mayor on Sunday and included a photo of Rowswell and Ward Five councillor Duane Jones standing in front of a nude statue in Tokyo.

In an accompanying note, the Mayor said he understood Fratesi had a collection of photos of such statues.

"I think it was his attempt to patch things up," Fratesi said.

This morning, the Sault Star and local radio stations revealed details of an extraordinary exchange of Emails between Rowswell and Fratesi on Friday.

The text of those Emails follows. The first was sent by Fratesi to the Mayor on February 8. The second is a reply from the Mayor in Japan later that day.

************************************************************************** John:

There are two items that I need to respond to this morning as a result of your directly contacting senior city staff while away in Japan.

1) You e-mailed John Luszka to ask if there was any truth to "Joe Fratesi trying to find Derik Brandt a job at City Hall". Firstly, there is no truth to this whatsoever. Derik has not asked me or any staff about any job, period. Secondly, you need to be asking these things directly of me, not my staff. Thankfully they understand protocols and inform me of these approaches by you.

2) You telephoned Bill Freiburger at his home last night just before 10 pm from Japan. You told him you needed another $1500 dollars US for your trip. This in addition to the $3 thousand US you asked for when you left. You asked that your assistant in your engineering office be contacted for a name, address and bank account number for an account in Bratsk, Russia. You indicated to Bill that this account was held by "A lady in Russia for whom you provide tuition assistance to her daughter". You indicated that you needed the money for Monday or Tuesday. You indicated that you could not get cash advances from the corporate credit card [visa] which was provided to you.

Mike Murray has called the Royal Bank and they have indicated that you should be able to get cash advances from the card at least in Japan. Bill Freiburger asked you to use the card to charge as many expenses as possible and to use cash only where necessary. Using the credit card would give a clear record of where the money has been spent. Receipts would be required for all cash spent, whether cash originally advanced by the City or cash advanced on the card. Bill will make the arrangements to have the extra $1500 US transferred as requested only because he does not want to see you stranded. However your request is very unusual and makes for a very awkward position. All of us, you included, need to account for every dollar spent on this or any other trip. Bill has never before been asked to simply wire money into a private account in any country let alone Russia. I have instructed Bill to make these arrangements as quickly as he can but I want to advise you that this is only being done because of what is apparently an emergency. Bill has advised me and by copy of the e-mail I am advising Council of what is happening so that no one is surprised. As with any travel all members of council or any staff must account on their return for all public monies which have been expended. The bylaws requiring this apply equally to The Mayor and it is therefore imperative that appropriate receipts and other accounting is made. Council of course can change existing policy if it wishes to make any exemptions.

Good Luck with transpolar!

Joe Fratesi.

*************************************************************************** Joe:

When we went on this trip we were advised to use the credit card to get cash for yen for expenses in Japan. When we went to use it, no cash could be given. I have had to use the US [dollars] for the Russia travel portion of my trip for Japan. The $1500 USD may or may not be enough to replace it.

With this said, who the hell do you think you are to tell me to be accountable for taxpayer dollars. Your staff screwed with advice for travel expenses that have generated a major problem for us.

The only way I can replace this cash is to send it the only way I know how to Russia.

Now if a rumour can make it to Russia about you wanting to hire Derik then it is worth checking out, even from here, true or not true.

However it does point out something that may need to be addressed when I return is that, I do not trust my CAO, and I am watching every move you make even from here or Russia.

Council, Joe Fratesi only take direction from you, he has said it many times that he is not here to assist the Mayor, you gave him that direction a year ago last January and he is following it to the letter.

Now, I do not know what games are bein [sic] played while I’m away, but I will not be coming back in a good mood upon my return and if it is war you want you will get it starting with the release of this e-mail and all others. I’m pissed.

If you want to play so be it.

This is not my choice, all we wanted was expense money that the credit cards was suppose to supply. And I have to deal with this shit.

John

Would someone please fax Pat Mick.

**************************************************************************

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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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