Chris Clegg
South Peace News
No charges have been laid in an alleged theft incident that resulted in a Town of High Prairie employee being terminated two weeks ago.
No charges appeared against the individual on the High Prairie Court of Justice court docket Jan. 15. He was employed in the recreation department.
However, Town of High Prairie CAO Bill McKennan wrote in an email Jan. 19 that all property alleged to have been stolen in the incident has been returned.
“There has been no financial loss to the Town.
“The alleged theft goods are in the Town’s possession,” he added.
It is still not known how much property was alleged to have been stolen.
Because the issue is a personal matter, the Town is limited on what it can release. Without saying whether charges will be laid or not, McKennan offered the following.
“The Town has pursued all measures that are legal.”
POPS Home Hardware co-owner Ron Shunter attended council’s Jan. 9 meeting as a delegation and told council the details of how he discovered the alleged crime.
Shunter told council the employee was charging item(s) purchased at POPS to the recreation board, then taking them to Super Bucks Pawn where he sold the merchandise and kept the cash.
Shunter asked council if charges would be laid and was promptly told it was a personnel matter.
“It’s a town taxpayer matter,” replied Shunter.
“It’s a serious issue, criminal charges should be pursued,” he added.
Shunter was not finished with council, however. He told them POPS did $38,000 worth of business with the Town last year and asked who was monitoring the purchases.
“Is it (purchases) being audited?” he asked, as he gave council a package listing the purchases.
Shunter added the Town does not do business properly, in his opinion. He suggested purchases should be preauthorized, then submitted for final approval.
“Something has to change, in my opinion,” he said.
“There appears to be no accountability,” he added, seeing it was he who discovered the matter and not town administration.
Shunter was promised the Town would look at the matter. McKennan confirmed the promised in his Jan. 19 email.
“Any administrative matters are being addressed,” wrote McKennan.
Editor’s note: In the story last week, it was incorrectly reported McKennan revealed the termination of the employee. In fact, it was Shunter. McKennan nor any member of council disputed Shunter’s claim. South Peace News apologizes for the error.