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Bates on Stand at Skakun Trial

By 250 News

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 11:15 AM

Prince George, B.C.- “I was surprised, disappointed and concerned” that’s how City of Prince George City Manager Derek Bates describes his initial reaction to seeing the Kitty Heller report on the CBC website in August of 2008.
Bates is testifying in the trial of Councillor Brian Skakun who is accused of breaching the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act by releasing the confidential Kitty Heller report to the CBC.
The report examined allegations of harassment from two City employees at the local RCMP detachment. The report concluded the allegations were unfounded, a conclusion which Bates says surprised him, given the “conviction of the complainants , I expected the investigation to find something, I was surprised when the complaints were unsubstantiated.”
Bates says when he saw the report on the CBC website, he immediately contacted legal counsel for advice.
Bates says there was never any intent to share the report with anyone other than the complainants and the respondents, but when Councillor Brian Skakun asked to see a copy, it was decided it would be added to an agenda of a closed Council meeting.  Bates testified it is the practice to keep personnel matters within the responsibilities of Administration as such investigations of employee complaints are not uncommon.
When asked if he was concerned the report had made it into the public realm in late April when portions of the report were quoted in a news story, Bates says no. He testified  he knew the complainants had reviewed and taken notes on the report and did not believe  the actual Heller report itself was making the rounds.
The trial continues.

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Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 11:15 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Comment Posted by: zyblxteu on December 8 2010 12:09 PM
I see 2 ppl lodge complaints against ...we can assume it was the COPS,should we be surprised that they were UNSUBSTANTIATED.That thin Blue line,cops looking after cops!I will wonder out loud jus how many of these bigots,beat there wives,cops are famous for this ,do not tell me any different! It's a power and control thing for em! OOO big bad coppers....
Comment Posted by: StreetWise2 on December 8 2010 12:39 PM
They were comaints about the city. Go spew you cop hating garbage somewhere else you moron.
Comment Posted by: Boon on December 8 2010 12:51 PM
zyblxteu ....there is a village in Brazil missing their village idiot. Please return !
Comment Posted by: interceptor on December 8 2010 1:50 PM
cut ole zyxbl some slack - he is an admitted dope smoker, some officer probably took his bag of weed away one time...
Comment Posted by: bitter on December 8 2010 7:08 PM
The City was not acting on the complaints of harassment, by City employees. Had they done so, we would not be spending all this money. I quote from the Citizen. Ball also shot down Duncan's continued attempt to introduce documents detailing the original complaints , ruling they're not relevant to whether Skakun leaked the 3l-page report by Heller. I disagree with Ball the documents are relevant, this is what this Court case is all about. I wish Brian Skakun good luck but is think he is going to be stabbed in the Back.
Comment Posted by: Boon on December 8 2010 8:23 PM
Skakun being stabbed in the back ???? If the aim is a little lower they may find his brains ! He needs to get the boot out of City Hall ! A further embarrassment to this city ! Harassment anywhere else does not matter. He released the document; GUILTY |
Comment Posted by: zyblxteu on December 8 2010 9:22 PM
Bite Me!!
Comment Posted by: zyblxteu on December 8 2010 10:34 PM
Who the hell do ya think ya are there bOOn,judge,jury and exacutioner!! go look in the mirror,say heehaw!
Comment Posted by: gus on December 9 2010 12:02 PM
Bitter wrote: "The City was not acting on the complaints of harassment, by City employees.

Bates reported on the stand:
"The report concluded the allegations were unfounded, a conclusion which Bates says surprised him, given the “conviction of the complainants, I expected the investigation to find something, I was surprised when the complaints were unsubstantiated.”

Who paid for the Heller Report?
Comment Posted by: bitter on December 10 2010 11:46 AM
I guess we did. Who paid for Ann B. pay out?? How much did we pay her?? We should be paying for Brian S. court charges . This is one big mess and should not even be happening.