KELOWNA – A hearing Thursday to determine if a Regional District of Central Okanagan director should be censured and sanctioned for allegedly breaching a confidentiality agreement did not proceed as planned.
Patty Hanson is accused of revealing details of board discussions at a Strategic Planning Workshop, which were to be kept private, to Okanagan Film Commissioner Jon Summerland.
In a letter to the board, Summerland writes: “Director Hanson warned me that no other counsellor apart from herself saw value in continued funding of the Okanagan Film Commission. I was very concerned because this is my livelihood and I have given up a lot to do this job.”
The hearing was postponed after Hanson said she wanted her lawyer to be present.
The Kelowna mayor, who sits on the RDCO board, is not happy with the delay.
“It’s pretty clear Director Hanson came here with the expectation to move forward with the hearing,” says Colin Basran. “She had ample opportunity to seek legal advice and have somebody here to represent her and didn’t. So yeah I’m frustrated because this has grown into something far greater than it needs to be.”
When Basran asked Hanson why she didn’t have a lawyer at the hearing, Hanson replied “No comment.”
“She chose not to answer so she couldn’t even tell us why she’s not being represented,” says Basran.
Hanson also refused to comment about the situation to the media.
To ensure procedural fairness, the majority of directors voted to reschedule the hearing to a date when both Hanson’s and the regional district’s lawyer can attend.
The possible sanctions the board will consider are a written apology from Hanson to Summerland and her removal from three regional district committees for one year.
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