NEWS RELEASE
Larry Munroe to be First HRM Auditor General
(September 9, 2009) - Mayor Peter Kelly, on behalf of Halifax Regional Council, and Councillor Gloria McCluskey, Chair of the Audit Committee, are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Larry Munroe, FCA, as the municipality’s first Auditor General.
Mr. Munroe brings a wealth of experience to this significant new role within the Halifax Regional Municipality. Throughout his extensive career, Mr. Munroe has served in senior roles through which he managed financial statement audits, as well as compliance/controls, and value for money services for a variety of municipalities, as well as the provision of professional services to the Province of New Brunswick. He will begin his position with HRM on September 28, 2009.
“In his new role, Mr. Munroe’s first responsibility is to the public. In doing so, he is responsible for assisting Council in holding itself and administration accountable for the quality of stewardship over the public funds and for achieving value for money in the operation of the municipality,” said Councillor McCluskey, Chair of the Audit Committee. “We are always looking to ensure our residents are getting the best value for the dollar.”
“In 2008, the Nova Scotia Legislature amended the HRM Municipal Charter to add the requirement for the HRM Council to appoint an Auditor General. This change is a result of direction set by Regional Council and the Audit Committee and is certainly welcomed,”said Mayor Kelly.
Once the legislation was proclaimed in January, Regional Council authorized the Audit Committee to recruit a suitable candidate for the Auditor General’s position and report back to Council with a recommendation on an appointment. A national recruitment program was carried out this past spring, interviews were conducted, and the Audit Committee made a recommendation to Council on August 11, 2009.
The appointment of Mr. Munroe is for a seven-year term. During that time he will have the authority to examine accounts, procedures, and programs of the municipality, as well as any municipal Board or Commission, or any person or agency receiving a grant from the municipality.
“Senior staff look forward to working with Mr. Munroe,” said CAO, Dan English. “Independence and transparency are key to enhancing public confidence in the municipal service delivery system.”
The Auditor General, Mr. Munroe, reports to Regional Council and within the first six months of taking office, he will develop and file an annual work plan with Council and will subsequently report to the public annually through a public Council meeting.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
490-4010
Councillor Gloria McCluskey
Audit Committee Chair
490-7033
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Larry E. Munroe, FCA
Mr. Larry Munroe, FCA will join the Halifax Regional Municipality as the first Municipal Auditor General on September 28, 2009. Mr. Munroe brings to the position a wealth of experience in public and private sector accounting and a commitment to the principles of openness and service to his community.
Mr. Munroe is a graduate of Acadia University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1976. He later graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Business Administration and achieved his Chartered Accountant designation in 1982.
From 1990 to 2008 he was a partner with Grant Thornton LLP in New Brunswick. Throughout his over 20 year career with Grant Thornton and its predecessor firms, Mr. Munroe served in senior roles through which he managed and conducted financial statement audits, as well as compliance/controls, and value for money services for a variety of municipalities. He also provided professional services to the Province of New Brunswick.
Mr. Munroe has always strived to balance his professional commitments with his dedication to improving the quality of life in his community through his involvement with not-for-profit and charitable organizations. He is highly respected for his leadership abilities and has built a reputation as a trusted advisor among his clients and peers, as well as within his community.
Mr. Munroe has delivered account services to a number of charities and not-for- profit organizations which include hospital fundraising, wildlife conservation, endowment fund development, care for the elderly and subsidized housing for seniors. He is a past Director and Treasurer of the Fredericton YMCA and more recently has served as a Director and Treasurer of Fredericton YMCA Endowment Fund Inc. He has been active in the development of the Fredericton Knowledge Park, has been a member of the Fredericton Sunrise Rotary Club and served on Campaign Cabinets of the United Way and Fredericton YMCA.
In 2005, his contributions to his profession and his community were recognized when he was made a Fellow of the New Brunswick Institute of Chartered Accountants, a professional body for which he also served as President and Council member as well as having served on a number of its committees.
Mr. Munroe and his wife Ellen have two grown sons Kyle and Kirk who both attended University in Nova Scotia. Mr. Munroe looks forward to settling into the Halifax community and enjoying the many challenges and opportunities the Auditor General’s position will bring.
