Follow-up #2 to former City of WL Finance Director Candie Laporte

On November 30th, 2010 - I had raised a concern that the City of Williams Lake had apparently let go of their-then Director of Financial Services Candie Laporte.  See that blog post here and I followed that up with this blog post here

Yesterday - the Rush ran a story in which Ms. Laporte states that the City's new Fire Hall project is not $528,000 over budget but in fact, it is $828,000 over budget.  See the story below (from the Rush's website):

A FORMER WILLIAMS LAKE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE CLAIMS THERE’S
A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT WILLIAMS LAKE CITY HALL.

CANDIE LAPORTE HELD THE POSITION FOR CLOSE TO 8 MONTHS
AND WAS TERMINATED LAST NOVEMBER.

SHE SAYS IT WAS WITHOUT CAUSE, COSTING TAXPAYERS OVER
$90,000.  LAPORTE ALLEGES THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS EXPENSES AND PAYROLL CHANGES IN 2010, COSTING TAXPAYERS IN THE VERY LEAST, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, APPROVED BY CAO BRIAN CARRUTHERS, WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES SET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY CHARTER BY WHICH MUNICIPALITIES ARE GOVERNED.

SHE ALSO ALLEGES FIREHALL COST OVERRUNS TO TOTAL $828,000, WHICH IS $300,000 MORE THAN THE PUBLIC WERE ORIGINALLY TOLD.

LAPORTE, WHO HAS CEREBRAL PALSY, SAYS THE CITY IN NOW ON
THEIR THIRD FINANCIAL DIRECTOR IN LESS THAN A YEAR, AND SAYS SHE PLANS TO FILE A HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CAO AND THE CITY.

CAO BRIAN CARRUTHERS REFUSED COMMENT ON LAPORTE’S
TERMINATION OTHER THAN TO SAY IT REQUIRED THE CONSENT OF A THREE QUARTER
MAJORITY OF COUNCIL TO BE APPROVED

This story is backed in a "draft" letter to the editor which has been signed by Candie Laporte herself.  As I've stated earlier this week - I received a package of information in a brown envelope which confirms the above story.  I can tell you that this information is so confidential and given it clearly is inappropriate for publication - it will not be published here as I don't wish to earn myself a lawsuit but I've confirmed with local media that they too have the same information that I have.  I'm prepared to publish the draft letter to the editor for my readers' information.  I should point out that I've contacted Ms. Laporte personally and she's given me permission to publish her letter to the editor.  For obvious reasons - the letter to the editor contained personal contact information for Ms. Laporte which has been whited over otherwise the letter is available for viewing

With this information coming out now - it will make for a interesting meeting at next Thursday's City of Williams Lake Public Meeting on the City's 2011 Budget

Draft Letter to the Editor Pages 1 & 2 - Candie Laporte: