B.C. DIVISION HITS ICE ON MARCH 26 / STORY, PAGE A27
kamloopsthisweek.com | kamloopsthisweek |
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021 | Volume 34 No. 9
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THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OF TNRD SPENDING ON WAY?
In the wake of KTW’s investigation into spending at the regional district, board chair Ken Gillis said he is recommending the board approve an independent review, with the findings to be made public JESSICA WALLACE
STAFF REPORTER
jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com
The chair of the ThompsonNicola Regional District is taking a recommendation to the board of directors next week, asking for approval of a “fulsome independent review” by a third party of past expenditures, with the findings to be made public. Details of the review — such as who would do it, when it would begin, how long it would take, how far back it would go, the scope and how much it would cost — have not been worked out. It will be discussed by the board at its next meeting, which will be held on March 11. “We have to do better, we will do better,” TNRD chair Ken Gillis said during a digital press conference on Monday. The press conference followed an investigation by KTW into spending at the regional district, which detailed more than a half-million dollars charged in five years to former TNRD CAO Sukh Gill’s taxpayerfunded credit card. The expenses included big parties, high-end restaurants, regular coffee shop visits, luxury hotels and expensive gifts. Gillis took issue with classifying some TNRD events as “parties,” but admitted wine flowed freely at times. In addition, expensive tabs were uncovered amidst the expenses for Union of BC
Ken Gilis is chair of the ThompsonNicola Regional District board of directors. The regional district’s headquarters is in the TNRD Building, downtown at Victoria Street and Fifth Avenue.
Municipalities convention events held by the regional district for networking purposes. Gillis called it “unfortunate” the former CAO’s spending was characterized as wholly frivolous and said the majority of the expenses were legitimate. How much of it was legitimate, however, he could not say. Asked how he can justify high-end restaurant visits and frequent coffee shop visits, Gillis replied: “Well, I think that the very fact that we’re in the position that we’re in answers your question in the sense that some of those expenses we do not believe can be justified. And when they came to light, we immediately began to take action.” Gillis cited staff dinners
among expenses that caught the board by surprise and he said they cannot be justified and have ended. He said at times during TNRD functions, wine flowed “surprisingly freely” and said he questioned the ordering on one occasion of expensive appetizers. One TNRD director, Kamloops Coun. Dale Bass, earlier told KTW she was surprised the regional district events had open bars. At least one TNRD board director — TNRD Area E director Sally Watson — has pointed at the board for being complicit. Gillis said the board takes “full ownership and accountability for the lack of financial oversight.” Asked if he is taking personal
responsibility, Gillis said: “I don’t think I can be expected to take personal responsibility for items that I had no idea and the rest of the board had no idea were being expensed. If it had continued, I guess we’d all have been responsible for it, but we are taking action on it, we have taken action on it, we will continue to take action on it.” Gillis said the TNRD’s audit committee chair, Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine, last summer flagged for review by the board policy amendments around alcohol funded by taxpayers at TNRD-hosted events, with changes beginning in 2019. Last summer, the board voted to approve two alcoholic drinks per person. That year, KTW filed a
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy request, asking for directors’ expenses, and was told it would cost more than $700. In the past year, Gillis said, the regional district has responded without charging fees to numerous FOI requests. In addition, policy updates since that time have included CAO expenses required to be signed off by the chair or vicechair, reducing the CAO’s credit card limit, an amended hospitality policy limiting alcoholic drinks purchased by taxpayers at TNRD-hosted events to two (beer and wine only) and new disclosure (whistleblower) policy that provides employees with safe/confidential means of reporting wrongdoing. Gillis said a policy review committee is also expected to be struck. Gillis called the changes “first steps.” He said with the recent change in leadership — former Kamloops CAO Randy Diehl became interim CAO following Gill’s departure and Scott Hildebrand was named the permanent CAO about six months ago — the regional district is in good hands and the situation does not and should not reflect on staff. Gillis said he expects the board to revisit the policy allowing two taxpayer-funded drinks at TNRD-hosted events. See GILIS, A7