Catholic school board trustees’ trip to Italy included $1,600 dinner

Expenses incurred by four local Catholic school board trustees on a trip to Italy to buy artwork included a $1,600 dinner at a gourmet hotel and spa.

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Documents obtained by The Expositor under a Freedom of Information request to the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board includes a receipt for a dinner at Hotel Gardena Grodnerhof in Castelrotto, Italy.

The receipt lists four unidentified menu items for 160 euros each, and an “abbinamento” (pairing) for 72 euros each, 30 euros worth of mineral water and a bottle of rose for 24 euros.

The trustees, including Rick Petrella, Bill Chopp, Dan Dignard and Mark Watson, left a 200-euro tip.

The total cost was 1,046 euros or $1,610.84.

The trustees traveled to South Tyrol on the northern tip of Italy to purchase artwork that will be installed in the chapel of St. Padre Pio Secondary School, which is under construction on Powerline Road in Brantford.

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In an earlier interview with The Expositor, Petrella, who is the chair of the school board, said the trip to Italy cost about $45,000 and the cost of the artwork was about $100,000.

A document provided by the school board puts the total trip costs at just over $50,000.

Following public outcry about the spending, Petrella said in a statement that trustees “deeply regret the events that have taken place” and said each trustee who participated in the trip would repay expenses incurred to the board. A governance review of the board is currently being conducted by the Ministry of Education.

A receipt provided by the board from Laboratorio di Ars Sacra lists the cost of the artwork, which includes life-sized, hand-painted wood statues of St. Padre Pio and the Virgin Mary, a large crucifix, sculptures depicting the 14 Stations of the Cross, and single piece of art for the new Catholic elementary school under construction in Caledonia, at 48,000 euros. That’s about $70,500 at the current exchange rate.

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An itinerary from Marlin Travel shows the trustees flew from Toronto Pearson Airport to Munich on Lufthansa on July 8 and returned on July 15 on Air Canada. Petrella said the trustees rented a car in Munich and drove about four hours to South Tyrol.

The document provided by the school board puts the total combined expenses for the trip at $50,022, including $31,529 for transportation, $15,974 for lodging, $2,422 for food/meals and $96 for roaming charges.

Flights account for $28,206. Vehicle rental is listed at $2,135 and taxi services are $654.

Three hotel stays in Munich are listed at $7,871 and three in Italy at $8,102.

The school board provided just six “meals for repayment,” from July 7 to 14, including dinners for the four trustees ranging from $172 to $231.

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The trip to Italy came about a month after the board approved changes to its trustee expense policy. Among the changes were a bump from economy /coach class to business class for air travel outside North America, allowance of charges above the standard hotel room rate, elimination of maximum rates for meals, and allowance of claims of alcohol in some cases.

At a meeting earlier this week, the board tightened up the policy, doing away with business class flights, setting meal rates in Canada, and prohibiting expenses for alcohol, among other changes.

When asked for clarification on some of the expenses on Friday, Tracey Austin, communications manager for the school board, said: “The involved trustees have agreed to a payment schedule and all expenses will be repaid. We have no further comment on this matter.”

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