BDO Canada said the department does not support rectifying the TNRD culture, which has been described as one of the inappropriate spending under former CAO Sukh Gill
Forensic auditor BDO Canada discovered that the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Human Resources department – which until recently was headed by longtime human resources director Debbie Sell, who is also a professor at Thompson Rivers University – did not support the rectification of the TNRD culture, which was described as one of the inappropriate spending.
Among a summary of the general recommendations presented to the Regional District Council by Simon Padgett of BDO Canada were human resource concerns at TNRD.
“We have seen several examples where we had to question the closeness of the relationship between the old CAD [Sukh Gill] and also the HR manager [Sell]”Padgett said.” We noticed some things that were happening quite easily. There were some things that weren’t happening. So getting paid overtime. Maybe its performance review process. We were. must have segregation of duties, distance and control over these relationships in the future. ”
BDO Canada’s forensic audit was ordered by the TNRD board following a KTW investigation into regional district spending under Gill. KTW’s stories have also led to an ongoing RCMP criminal investigation.
In the floods and fires of 2017, Gill received $ 117,000 in addition to his salary of $ 206,000 that year. It was part of more than half a million dollars in overtime accumulated by TNRD staff that year. Also among those who received a large overtime pay was Sell, who received an additional $ 55,500 on top of his salary of $ 134,000.
Human Resources is usually where someone goes to voice concerns about people, culture and performance. The department serves as the link between the management and the staff of an organization.
KTW has learned from several sources that they reported suspected misconduct to the Sell Regional District, but the complaints have not been resolved.
The names of Sell and her husband were among those that appeared on Gill’s TNRD credit card receipts for hospitality purchases.
Sell retiree from the regional district last summer.
