It's by no means the largest amount in the New Westminster school district's statement of financial information on vendors paid more than $25,000 in the last fiscal year, but $216,360 paid out to a company called CINEC may be the most interesting.
If you go to CINEC Education Group (Canada)'s website at www.cinec.ca, you discover that the company has its head offices in downtown Vancouver and advertises itself as "a group of experienced and passionate professional educational consultants specializing in providing our clients with a variety of short-term and long-term customized educational programs locally and overseas."
Its president is Russ Pacey, a former associate superintendent with the New Westminster school district, who left the school district in 2006 with little explanation. Pacey had been involved with the controversial business company for the initial years it was in operation.
Pacey received more than $175,000 in severance when he left the district, according to documents obtained in a Freedom of Information request by The Record in 2007.
According to Pacey's message on CINEC's website: "I am pleased and excited to be the president of CINEC, a dynamic business well-positioned for success in the burgeoning global economy. ... Although many values drive and guide our action, four seem particularly relevant and vital to our success: excellence, integrity, courage and perseverance."
Pacey's message continues with one final thought: "Partnership is the other building block I would like to emphasize at this time ... Effective partnerships enable win/win, best of both worlds' relationships to form and evolve."
One partnership CINEC appears to have is with the New Westminster school district and the district's SD40 Business Company, because the $216,360 paid out from the district to CINEC represents commissions related to the business company's offshore programs.
Secretary-treasurer Brian Sommerfeldt told The Record on Wednesday morning that he has never dealt with Pacey, but he has dealt with Harvey Su, who is listed on CINEC's website as a vice-president.
Su talked to The Record on Wednesday afternoon and said that Pacey has no role in the day-to-day running of CINEC.
"Russ Pacey, he's my old friend and he's a figurehead in our company," said Su. "When I was trying to market the offshore program, he was the only person to accept our proposal. In China, we have an old saying that when he have water to drink, we don't forget those who drilled the well for us."
Su reiterated that while Pacey's message as president is on the CINEC website, it is Su and wife Yvonne Zhou who run the business.
"He (Russ) has no role in managing or the decision making," said Su. "He's a figurehead. When you do business in China, the people want to see Canadian people running the company. I'm Chinese. ... I do the day-to-day running of CINEC and my wife and I set up the company together."
School trustee Michael Ewen also weighed in with his thoughts on CINEC and Pacey.
"There is no relationship between the school district and Russ Pacey," said Ewen. "I have seen him two or three times at social occasions like a funeral or a going away, but there is no relationship. ... I can unequivocally say there is no relationship between Russ and the school district."
CINEC advertises on its website one of its successes: "Through our efforts, CINEC successfully brought a school to Wenzhou, Canadian Secondary Wenzhou No. 22 (CSW No. 22), to submit the application in September 2005."
The school received all its necessary approvals by April 2006 and started with 23 Grade 10 students and as of November 2010, there were more than 250 students enrolled there and 14 B.C. certified teachers on site.
The New Westminster school district's SD40 Business Company website has pictures of the Canadian Secondary Wenzhou No. 22 School's 2010 graduation, with trustees Brent Atkinson and James Janzen in at least one picture.
Business company chief executive officer Brent Atkinson is currently on vacation.
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