Penticton Legion looks to regain footing
JOE FRIES - Thu Nov 22nd, 2012 11:00am
Six months after its entire executive was removed from office, the Penticton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is struggling to get back on its feet.
Members met Monday to elect a new 12-person executive, but the process ground to a halt when no nominees stepped forward to fill the treasurer’s position. The branch does, however, have a new president, vice-president and secretary, and another election is scheduled for Dec. 3.
For now, Branch 40 remains under the trusteeship of Ed Findlater, who was appointed this summer by the Legion’s B.C.-Yukon Command. Findlater, an Okanagan Falls member, was brought in to get the Penticton location’s affairs in order after concerns arose regarding possible financial mismanagement and contraventions of liquor and gaming licences.
“That’s all straightened out,” said Findlater, who will remain in charge until at least Dec. 31.
He said his investigation didn’t turn up evidence of anything untoward, but “things were done not according to the way it’s laid down in the book.”
Findlater thinks his probe, and the events that led up to it, likely caused some members to shy away this week from letting their names stand for election to the executive, particularly the treasurer’s job.
“I think the attitude of being put under trusteeship affected everybody. I think it’s going to take a while to recover.”...
...Murray Grandy, the freshly elected president, said he hopes that new life will bring back old faces.
“If we do get all the officers, I’d love to see some of the old members that left because of things that we’re going on there, I’d love to see them come back and get involved again,” he said.
From the Penticton Western News