The TNRD has come under fire after a Kamloops This Week investigation revealed its former CAO, Sukh Gill, spent more than $500,000 on a TNRD credit card over a five-year period (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

TNRD SPENDING CONTROVERSY

As TNRD tweaks spending policy, some area directors waiting to see if real change has been made

Feb 26, 2021 | 4:54 PM

KAMLOOPS — More than $500,000 charged to former CAO Sukh Gill’s TNRD credit card has shone a negative light on spending policies of the regional district — with questions around how it happened and how the lavish spending was able to carry on for five years.

TNRD Electoral Area ‘E’ Director Sally Watson says the whole mess could’ve been prevented with a little belt-tightening.

“Some of us have been trying for quite a while to slow down [the spending], especially the big dinners at the UBCM conference. Sometimes there’s 47 people at that table. I’ve tried over the years to put a stop to it and didn’t get any traction,” she said.

The big dinners paid for by the TNRD were just the tip of the iceberg. Gill spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on parties, restaurants and gifts for fellow staff members, according to an investigation by Kamloops This Week.

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However, Board Chair Ken Gillis says since the end of 2019 — months before Gill suddenly resigned as CAO amid allegations of workplace bullying — all expenses have to be approved by himself and another director.

At around the same time, a majority of the board agreed to eliminate open bars and limit drinks to two per director.

“That’s all the TNRD will provide for any of its own people, its directors, or for any guests that may have been invited,” Gill told CFJC Today.

However, Dale Bass, a TNRD director representing the City of Kamloops, wants more changes made, including the elimination of any alcohol freebies.

“It’s taxpayer money,” she said. “When we go out as a city council, we pay for our own drinks. It’s just what you do. Buying alcohol for directors is not part of the business.”

Gillis admits if a motion came forward, he would vote in favour of doing away with alcohol purchases for directors. With credit card spending limits now set at $5,000 annually for the CAO, Gillis feels good about the changes being implemented so far.

“I think the taxpayers should be reassured that this will not be repeated,” he said. “I am confident that we have addressed that situation.”

Watson says she’ll believe it when she sees it. Given there haven’t been events to see if spending policies truly have changed, she feels a little more skeptical. However, she does hope the culture of spending at the TNRD will change.

“When we do go back to going to conferences and having dinners together, I sincerely hope that we are each given our own dinner bill and we each file our expense claims.”