
Front entrance to the Thompson Nicola Regional Library in downtown Kamloops. Entrance also gains access to TNRD offices in floors above/via TNRD
The Thompson Nicola Regional District has launched a new web page that shows the progress made when it comes to meeting the BDO Canada audit recommendations.
Newly elected Vice Chair Barbara Roden says it is important that the regional district show people that they are committed to changing their ways after the forensic audit which found an “inappropriate culture of spending” under former CAO Sukh Gill.
“I believe it will not only showcase the work we are making in progressing with the recommendations, but we know that there are a certain number of people who are keeping a very keen eye on the TNRD and what we are doing,” Roden said. “I hope that this would perhaps alleviate some of their frequent email requests to staff about what is happening.”
“They will know that they have a dedicated web page that they can check to see what progress is being made.”
In all, BDO Canada identified 18 control weaknesses and made 65 recommendations to the TNRD. They include a call to improve corporate governance and oversight, policy and bylaws, human resources, internal auditing, and finance department operations at the regional district.
The audit came about after a vote by the board in March, 2021. That was almost a year after Gill’s sudden retirement in Feb. 2020 with a severance package in excess of $500,000 and a subsequent investigation by Kamloops This Week which showed more than $517,000 of taxpayers money expensed by the Gill.
In recent weeks, a couple of TNRD Directors have called on Board Chair Ken Gillis to step down, noting it will help the TNRD in its quest to try and regain the trust of residents and taxpayers.
“I think at this point, at this juncture of where we are as a board, it is a critical point, and we do need change, and we do need accountability across the table,” Spences Bridge area director, Steven Rice, said Thursday.
Current TNRD CAO Scott Hildebrand, says the regional district has already made progress on many of those recommendations, telling NL News he estimates about 20 per cent of the work has already been completed, with “a lot of solid progress” expected by the end of this year.
“Even before the forensic audit was completed, we began to take action to enhance our policies and practices, and address previous gaps that existed,” Hildebrand said in January.
“The constructive recommendations that we have now received will help inform and reinforce positive steps forward that we are taking.”