Rumour Mill

[drpgq]

I didn't see this posted already, but it interested me.

Jackson Hayes
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 1, 2009)

A city official was driving a truck with a plate registered to a prominent Hamilton developer's company when he was in a drunk driving fender-bender -- the same developer from whom he is accused of illegally accepting $5,000.

The city will not comment about the case.

Information linking Moodie to local developer Denis Vranich came to light through documents filed in a Burlington court earlier this week.

Calls to both Moodie and Vranich were not returned.

Moodie, former head of Hamilton's downtown residential loan program, pleaded guilty Monday to impaired driving and driving with a suspended licence stemming from a minor accident on Feb. 22, 2008.

Ministry records show the licence plate of the truck Moodie was driving was registered to Vrancor Real Estate Corp.

A corporate profile report for Vrancor Real Estate Corp. shows Denis Vranich as president and secretary of the company.

When told about the impaired driving incident, city spokesperson Michael Kirkopoulos said it is a "personnel issue" and the city does not have a comment.

The controversy over the relationship between Moodie and Vranich emerged in May 2008 when the OPP charged both men with municipal corruption.

Moodie faces an additional charge of public breach of trust.

At the time, Moodie was heading the downtown residential loan program, which gave city money to development projects aimed at revitalizing downtown.

Investigators allege Denis Vranich gave Moodie $5,000 in November 2005 to secure loans for his father, developer Darko Vranich.

Though he is still facing the corruption charge, an internal investigation by the city in July 2008 showed Moodie did not violate the employee code of conduct and he returned to work last summer.

However, instead of returning to the loans program, he was moved to the downtown renewal office where he works as a business development consultant.

It was also revealed in court on Monday that Moodie's driver's licence had been suspended since November 2006 because of unpaid fines.

He was forced to surrender his already suspended licence following his guilty pleas and the city has not revealed how the convictions will affect his current job.

There was also no word from the city on if another review of the relationship between the two men would occur.

Moodie and Denis Vranich are expected in court April 16 on the municipal corruption charge. Moodie will be in court June 9 for sentencing on the driving offences.