[Eug]

$50000 to take some snapshots? Nice gig if you can get it... ie. If you're sleeping with the TTC official.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/ttc/article/776171--ttc-paid-executive-s-friend-50-000

A senior Toronto Transit Commission official helped his long-time female friend – an amateur photographer – get a plum contract taking photos of public meetings and proposed building sites.
Project manager John Cursio recommended Robin Thoen for the job, then personally approved payments of public money to her totalling at least $50,000 over the past year. One of Cursio's grown children worked part-time for Thoen editing photos during this period.

The TTC said Cursio is in a conflict of interest and never should have recommended Thoen for the work. Senior transit officials are investigating. Though Thoen received payments, there is no contract setting out the terms of the job.

 

[kettal]

I slept with Adam Giambrone and I didn't get anything

 

[urbandreamer]

Yeah, her website looks like a front.... She charges the city $80/hour. Just crazy. Considering many UT folks take construction photos for free!

 

[Eug]

Here is her site:

http://www.westpointphotography.ca/construction/

I slept with Adam Giambrone and I didn't get anything

Assuming you are a man, I don't believe you. Mr. Giambrone says he's not ghey. Whatever he says, I believe.

 

[urbandreamer]

That "model" that claims she slept with him looks like she could be on the back pages of Eye Weekly...

 

[W. K. Lis]

I'll take pictures with my old compact digital camera for $2 less.

 

[Eug]

I'll take pictures with my old compact digital camera for $2 less.

Heck, I'll take pictures with my brand new Canon 7D, full collection of lenses, and strong flashes for $22222 less.

Finding efficiencies indeed.

That "model" that claims she slept with him looks like she could be on the back pages of Eye Weekly...

I guess he has a range of tastes.

 

[PinkLucy]

I slept with Adam Giambrone and I didn't get anything

That's not what Adam told me.

 

[DavidH]

Yeah, her website looks like a front.... She charges the city $80/hour. Just crazy. Considering many UT folks take construction photos for free!

I don't think that is unreasonable for a professional photographer, assuming she is truly a professiona. It's hard to imagine a true pro photographer having a web site with NO photo galleries to serve as examples of work done.

The problems here are (a) was it truly a requirement to have professional-documented images of construction and (b) if so, why was this not tendered out. It's clearly not a case of sole-source and at a $50K total billing, should be into the tendering range for most public organizations.

This isn't in bribery territory but it's still wrong.

BTW, one reason why "free" wouldn't be acceptable is that the photographer would need to be insured if he/she is going to be allowed on a construction site.

 

[Cranky Old Fart]

What's the big deal only $50k ???? Howard Moscoe's brother has been a TTC vendor (& Bombardier) for decades & has been raking in a lot more than $50K !

 

[PinkLucy]

It's not the amount, it's how contracts are awarded and conflicts of interest disclosed that's the issue

 

[Cranky Old Fart]

It's not the amount, it's how contracts are awarded and conflicts of interest disclosed that's the issue

Oh yes of course. Howard & Ray must have disclosed their relationship for the past 35 years.

 

[Jay11]

Sick

 

[Eug]

TTC exec fired, girlfriend loses $50,000 contract

Toronto Transit Commission project manager John Cursio has been fired for helping his long-time female companion get a $50,000 photography gig.

The companion, Robin Thoen, also has been told her services photographing public meetings and potential building locations are no longer required.

Meanwhile, the TTC wants to strengthen controls over consultants to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.

-

So, it seems she gets to keep the money she already got?

-

Since May of last year, Cursio approved payments of at least $50,000 in public money from AECOM to West Point. Thoen, an amateur photographer, took photographs of people at public meetings, rankling ratepayers who felt their privacy was invaded at one recent session. Thoen also took photographs of streetscapes where new streetcar lines are planned. There was no contract between AECOM and West Point, just payments.

 

[DavidH]

So, it seems she gets to keep the money she already got?

Probably. Getting money back would require suing her, and that would require proof of either nonfulfillment of the terms of the contract (e.g. she didn't actually take pictures or they weren't of the required quality) or fraud in getting the work in the first place. Further, legal costs to get the money back might well exceed the amount of money she has already earned.