The Daily News updated its coverage of the happenings at Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District on Thursday, a governmental group which has taken on a rather unaccustomed high profile of late in the local community.
The Daily picks up the story from a recent examination of the finances at the office, an examination that has determined that there was no fraudulent activities conducted there and therefore no need for a costly forensic audit to be conducted.
Those decisions and a look at the inside workings of the financial side of the Regional District appeared in Thursday’s paper.
FRAUD RULED OUT IN PROBE OF BOOKS
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Page one
Despite the suspicions of some local politicians, there was no fraudulent activity or reckless spending at the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District (SQRD) in the past three years, according to expert auditors.
Hence, there’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on a forensic audit.
The board hired BDO Dunwoody to look at the district’s finances earlier this year because some district directors felt things “things were not right.”
“We did not find any indication of fraudulent activity or reckless spending,” said Bill Cox, BDO Dunwoody, in his recent report to the SQCRD.
The 2007 SQCRD budget was rushed through earlier this year. District staff were left scrambling because of the board’s decision to terminate its administrator Janet Beil, without cause. (Beil will be paid $123,924 in severance plus benefits until September 20, 2008.)
However, directors questioned the budget numbers and the only area of the budget the board could agree on was that they needed to hire someone to conduct a forensic audit.
Cox, who spent two days going over the books with computer auditing software and interviewing staff, disagreed. Instead, he made numerous recommendations to improve accounting procedures and plan for the future, including telling directors it was time to start playing nice.
“Discussions and lively debate on issues is healthy during board meetings. However, it is important that once a decision is democratically made that all members of the board work to implement it as effectively as possible,” said Cox.
The auditor also put to bed an issue that has been causing consternation at the board level for several months – who should have cheque-signing authority.
Earlier this year, three board members challenged the minutes of a meeting that were written up by board chair Barry Pages, alleging he had altered the minutes to change who controls the taxpayers’ money.
The meting minutes were originally taken by Beil, who was then terminated, and the notes written up by Pages.
Ian Hetman (Rural Graham Island), Karl Bergman (Oona River), and Des Nobels (Dodge Cove. Port Simpson) said Pages had altered a motion that when monies need to be spent “the administrator seek signatures of the chair and vice-chair prior to other signing authorities.”
Previously, four directors including the chair, vice-chair Tony Briglio, two directors Christine MacKenzie and Des Nobels as well as the administrator could all act as signatories for financial transactions.
This motion meant the four directors and administrator were no longer to be equal but that the signatures of the chair and vice chair would be preferred if they were available.
However, the other six board members disagreed, supporting Pages and the new process made it official.
Cox, however, recommended a totally different method where as many board members as possible be included in a rotation of cheque signing duties. This way, each board members has the opportunity to review expenses at some point during the year.
Those decisions and a look at the inside workings of the financial side of the Regional District appeared in Thursday’s paper.
FRAUD RULED OUT IN PROBE OF BOOKS
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Page one
Despite the suspicions of some local politicians, there was no fraudulent activity or reckless spending at the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District (SQRD) in the past three years, according to expert auditors.
Hence, there’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on a forensic audit.
The board hired BDO Dunwoody to look at the district’s finances earlier this year because some district directors felt things “things were not right.”
“We did not find any indication of fraudulent activity or reckless spending,” said Bill Cox, BDO Dunwoody, in his recent report to the SQCRD.
The 2007 SQCRD budget was rushed through earlier this year. District staff were left scrambling because of the board’s decision to terminate its administrator Janet Beil, without cause. (Beil will be paid $123,924 in severance plus benefits until September 20, 2008.)
However, directors questioned the budget numbers and the only area of the budget the board could agree on was that they needed to hire someone to conduct a forensic audit.
Cox, who spent two days going over the books with computer auditing software and interviewing staff, disagreed. Instead, he made numerous recommendations to improve accounting procedures and plan for the future, including telling directors it was time to start playing nice.
“Discussions and lively debate on issues is healthy during board meetings. However, it is important that once a decision is democratically made that all members of the board work to implement it as effectively as possible,” said Cox.
The auditor also put to bed an issue that has been causing consternation at the board level for several months – who should have cheque-signing authority.
Earlier this year, three board members challenged the minutes of a meeting that were written up by board chair Barry Pages, alleging he had altered the minutes to change who controls the taxpayers’ money.
The meting minutes were originally taken by Beil, who was then terminated, and the notes written up by Pages.
Ian Hetman (Rural Graham Island), Karl Bergman (Oona River), and Des Nobels (Dodge Cove. Port Simpson) said Pages had altered a motion that when monies need to be spent “the administrator seek signatures of the chair and vice-chair prior to other signing authorities.”
Previously, four directors including the chair, vice-chair Tony Briglio, two directors Christine MacKenzie and Des Nobels as well as the administrator could all act as signatories for financial transactions.
This motion meant the four directors and administrator were no longer to be equal but that the signatures of the chair and vice chair would be preferred if they were available.
However, the other six board members disagreed, supporting Pages and the new process made it official.
Cox, however, recommended a totally different method where as many board members as possible be included in a rotation of cheque signing duties. This way, each board members has the opportunity to review expenses at some point during the year.
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