New Westminster has yet to reveal its findings about the Hyack Festival Association.
In response to internal issues with the association, city council approved four recommendations concerning the embattled organization in October. In addition to administering this year’s Santa Claus Parade, council also voted to request all financial records and procedures from the organization so it could conduct an independent audit, to contact the registrar of B.C. Societies to investigate the conduct of the Hyack Festival Association and to suspend any future funding to the association until these governance matters are resolved to the city’s satisfaction.
Jan Gibson, the city’s acting director of legislative services, said the city has received a reply from the registrar of societies. Because the matter is still before council, the letter hasn’t been made public.
“My understanding is that council is still dealing with the matter,” she told The Record Dec. 17. “I believe that staff will give an update at a meeting coming up in January on any actions taken on the resolutions that they made in public at the October meeting.”
Gibson confirmed the city received a response from the registrar of societies, but the matter is still with council so the letter has not been released. A report about all of the Oct. 28 resolutions will be presented to council at a meeting in early January.
“Staff needs to come back with an update as to what has transpired with these resolutions,” she said. “As a final clearing of the air, staff needs to bring everything they have received back and bring a report forward. That’s the process.”
Concerned that the internal troubles that have been plaguing the association would impact its ability to plan this year's Santa Claus Parade, the City of New Westminster opted to organize the event. Members of the Hyack Festival Association and Miss New Westminster's ambassadors, however, accompanied the float in the Dec. 7 parade.
Association president Gavin Palmer accompanied Miss New Westminster 2013 and two ambassadors to the Dec. 9 council meeting, when the ambassadors brought Christmas greetings as their reign comes to an end.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said the city has not resolved issues with the "credibility of the association" and that process is still pending. While the "authenticity" of the organization remains in dispute, he told Palmer council didn't want the ambassadors to get caught up in the politics and allowed Hyack to take part in the Santa Claus Parade.
"We did not want the ambassadors to be affected by the dispute," he said,
Palmer said the organization has resolved its issue, but awaits council's decision on the matter. He noted the association’s annual general meeting is set for Jan. 13 and is open to all members of the association.
"I see that as an important part of the path," said Coun. Jaimie McEvoy.
The ongoing saga began in July, when four Hyack executive members fired executive director Douglas Smith without getting approval from the board of directors. The board of directors rehired Smith, who later left and received a wrongful dismissal settlement.
Two feuding factions of the board of directors submitted motions to be considered at a special general meeting on Oct. 22, with each side calling for the removal of members on the other side of the debate. Five Hyack board directors resigned on the morning of the Oct. 22 meeting, prompting the Hyack executive to cancel the special general meeting and hold a board meeting, where they filled the five vacancies with new board members.
Although Palmer canceled the Oct. 22 meeting, about 25 members met at the venue and voted to remove the three executives from the board. Council passed the recommendations at its next meeting to sort out the governance issues plaguing the organization.
Earlier this month, the Hyack Festival Association announced its new name, Festivals New West, and a new logo.
