The decision of the four followed a heated discussion about the Auditor’s report for the DBIA.

 

At issue  were  questions raised  about  a  member  not  having access to  financial records  when requested and a question of whether  dollars were  paid out to  some  companies in which at least two DBIA directors  have   ownership.  In a vote of 52 - 40, the membership of the Downtown Business Improvement Association (Downtown Prince George)decided to put on hold the acceptance of the auditor’s report until a committee has had an opportunity to review the decision making process as it pertains to  expenditures  to  answer  the questions  about  possible  conflict  of interest.   A three person committee has been struck to examine all invoices,  and  the  meeting minutes as they  relate to decisions about expenditures to see how those  decisions were put forward, and  who voted in support of  the expenditures.  

 

Section29 of the DBIA bylaws states:
"A person shall cease to be a Director of the Society:
(d)  when that Director as an individual, partner or shareholder fails to disclose his interest in a contract with the Society, or fails to abstain from voting in favour of the proposed contract when it is presented to the Directors for approval;The Auditor’s report shows the DBIA received nearly $225 thousand dollars last year , most of it ($200 grand) in a grant from the City through the special levy.

 

Here are some of the details of the Auditor’s report:

 

The DBIA completed the year with a surplus of  just under $100 thousand dollars, but that includes the monies left over from the previous DBIA in the amount of $56,492.00.

 

The single largest expenditure last year was the flower basket campaign which cost the DBIA $34,551.00   The next significant expenditure was $28,948.00 which was spent on the “Let’s Get Started” review which included $14 thousand dollars that was paid to former Premier Mike Harcourt for his attendance. The third item was the payment of the Clean Team to the tune of just under $27 thousand dollars.

 

The members agreed to set the number of elected directors at 15. With three directors remaining for the second year of a two year term, (Hugh Nicholson, Grant Zimmerman and David McWalter)  that meant there were 12   directors to be chosen.  While there were  numerous names put forward,  the  election results were not immediately available   as the  ballots could not be counted in time  because the  Prince George Library was closing.