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Drinking wine in city hall in a committee room is contrary to what the committee room is supposed to be used for

Mr. Mammoliti said he became aware of the gathering on Tuesday when his staff member showed him the invitation.

But Ms. Smith said the councillor’s criticism comes as a surprise and that he would have known about the event much earlier.

“It would have been nice for him to bring it to us at that time because we gave him about a month’s notice,” she said, declining to comment further.

The invitation suggested staffers “consider bringing a light dip, or chips, or a bottle of vino, or whatever you would like.”

They’re all celebrating the fact that they like to swap clothes and look together all on the taxpayer’s dime

Mr. Mammoliti said it was inappropriate to encourage drinking at city hall.

“Drinking wine in city hall in a committee room is contrary to what the committee room is supposed to be used for,” he said. “What it really amounts to is the fact that they’re sweeping up the costs of using their room at city hall for political staff to enjoy a glass of wine, maybe two, maybe three, maybe 10, and swap clothes, all on city resources and the taxpayer’s dime.”

Mr. Parker, who was not at the event, said he didn’t know if staff members actually drank wine at the gathering.

“I think something like that was perfectly innocent and is something we should all be pleased about,” he said. “Its whole purpose was to invite staff members on the second floor of city hall to get together for a social moment at the end of the day, bring some of their old clothes, swap them around with the idea that anything left over at the end of the evening would all be bundled up and carried to a clothing reuse service that operates in my ward.”