Thompson-Nicola Regional District chair Ken Gillis.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/TNRD

More board members joined in their calls for chair Ken Gillis to resign from leadership at the Thompson Nicola Regional District today.

The regional district board is at a "critical point" where change and accountability is needed "across the table," Steven Rice, director for the Blue Sky region said at today's board meeting.

"I'm just wondering with change and accountability, if the chair would consider stepping down," Rice said.

In his speech to the board, Rice thanked regional district staff for their work since the beginning of financial investigations that began in 2021, but said in that time up to now, he's concerned the board is "moving the needle backwards."

"I struggle with moving on without addressing what has happened in the past," Rice said. "I apologize to our constituency, because certainly I'm as guilty as many for my ignorance, naivety and maybe not speaking up when I should."

When Rice concluded, there was a silence.

"Is there any further new business?" board chair Ken Gillis said.

The regional district has been grappling with the fallout of a forensic audit and police investigation that was spurred after the departure of former chief administrative officer, Sukh Gill.

The audit uncovered lavish spending, conflicts of interests and questioned vendor choices that appeared to favour his friends and close relationships. In a five year period, for example, there was $200,000 in credit card spending that did not have itemized receipts.

Auditors BDO Canada LLP provided the regional district with dozens of recommendations to overhaul its financial policies, some of which have been completed and many others are in progress to some degree.

While the regional district has taken steps to show that it's changing its ways, including creating a new webpage showing a tally of its progress on auditor recommendations, it hasn't been enough action to show constituents that it has recognized the need to be accountable to the public, Rice said.

Rice, as of the Feb. 3 board meeting, now joins director Sally Watson in calling for Gillis's resignation as chair of the board. Director and Kamloops city councillor Dale Bass followed Rice and called for the same.

On Feb. 2, iNFOnews.ca asked Gillis if he was considering stepping down from his position.

"I might have considered that, if the suggestion had come from a credible source," he said, pointing to Watson, who represents the 70 Mile House area.

In today's meeting, Bass backed Rice, adding that "somebody's finally said what we've all been thinking."

"We have to go home tonight and think about this tonight and decide what we're going to do, but I want to thank (Rice) because that was a ballsy thing to do," Bass said.

No other board members addressed Rice's comments, but Watson suggested the discussion continue at a later closed meeting.

"Maybe we could do that before I have to leave the room," she said.

Gillis was reelected as board chair in November 2021 through an internal vote.

— This story was corrected at 12:13 p.m., Feb. 3, 2022, to clarify that Sally Watson was not referring to a closed board meeting on Feb. 3.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022