More turmoil on local Conservative board

By Scott Neufeld http://www.dailycourier.ca/ Mar 6/07

Citing issues with a fellow board member, the president of the local Conservative association has resigned. Although Lori DeJong said that she wouldn’t comment on exactly what the board member did that led her to quit, she said the issue was significant. DeJong is the 17th board director on the 30 member board to step down since March 2006 including the vice-president and financial agent. “I (resigned) because of the actions of the secretary (Al Schalm),” DeJong said. “I still support the party but for now I won’t be on the executive.”

Salmon Arm resident Schalm, is now the last remaining executive member on the board. DeJong said she won’t rule out a return to the board in the future. “We’ll see what the future will do,” she said. “I would still like to be involved.” The party has also cancelled its last two meetings before its annual general meeting in April. There is disagreement, however, as to who stopped the meetings. DeJong said that she didn’t realize that the meetings, including one on Tuesday night, had been cancelled. However, Ethan Gorner, the party’s organizer for the B.C. Interior said they were called off after he spoke with DeJong.

With no more meetings until a new board is elected at the AGM, Gorner denied that the move has effectively dissolved the board. He said there is no pressing reason for the board to meet within the next month. “(National office) hasn’t taken over, there’s nothing to take over,” he said. “They wouldn’t dissolve the board, national office doesn’t have any power to dissolve the board.” Gorner will be chairing the AGM and said he is interested to see who will come forward to join the board. He said he’s hopeful that things will run more smoothly for the next edition of the board. “We’re hoping that people will start working well, work toward liking our guy again,” he said. “We’re hoping the old battles in the past are behind us.”