Saskatoon Lighthouse, board members battle in court about financial control – Saskatoon | 24CA News
Saskatoon’s Lighthouse representatives are nonetheless battling it out in court docket after two members of the board filed affidavits, asking for an interim receivership.
Jerome Hepfner and Twila Reddekopp have claimed that the Lighthouse board hasn’t been making choices in the very best curiosity of the group.
Hepfner and Reddekopp had been co-managers of the Lighthouse, changing govt director Don Windels after he was positioned on go away.
The pair had been faraway from the place final month.
They are actually hoping that accounting agency NMP LLP will briefly take management of the group’s funds and deal with arising points.
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At Saskatoon Provincial Court on Tuesday, NMP LLP questioned in the event that they even had the authority to tackle such a task and what the agency’s job as interim receiver could be.
The Lighthouse requested for a supplemental order, which might see the present board step down, together with Hepfner and Reddekopp, and a wholly new board be elected.
The Lighthouse has lately suffered funding cuts, hearth and constructing code violations, and board members utilizing Lighthouse funds for private loans.
According to court docket paperwork, it was found that between 2008 and 2013, Windels had taken $287,000 in shelter funding for private loans.
While a few of these had been recorded and authorised by the board, there may be little or no to no proof of board approval of a $60,000 mortgage Windels requested so he may purchase a home for his daughter.
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Reddekopp claimed that this was hid from the board. Windels disagreed.
The Lighthouse ended up buying the property, paying the utilities, and naming the property as a capital asset.
Windels was briefly faraway from his place and changed by Hepfner and Reddekopp.
Recently, the Lighthouse was confronted with the monetary burden of 42 completely different hearth violations recognized by the Saskatoon Fire Department.
Last winter, the Lighthouse was coping with frozen pipes, burst sprinklers, and backed up sewers. The facility skilled smashed sinks and a water heater taking place in a number of the coldest months of the yr.
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If that had been to occur once more sooner or later, the struggling shelter must battle by way of reduce funds introduced on by emotions of mistrust from the Saskatchewan authorities.
In the summer season of 2022, the choice was made by Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky, native MLAs and neighborhood leaders to discontinue homeless help companies on the facility after concern was pressured concerning the Lighthouse’s incapacity to provide quite a few monetary information.
Over $100,000 in funding was pulled by the provincial authorities.
In September 2022, after the federal government started withholding funds, the Lighthouse formally introduced it was shutting down the beds it provided.
The beds have since been transitioned to the Salvation Army and the Wellness Centre.
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Wayne Pederson, the lawyer representing Affinity Credit Union confirmed that the Lighthouse solely has $43,000 left on its open line of credit score, which isn’t sufficient to cowl upcoming funds to its workers.
The Affinity Credit Union mentioned it will step up and assist the Lighthouse cowl prices, however provided that it was in supporting Hepfner and Reddekopp.
Pederson advised that one of many solely methods to cowl the money owed could be to promote Lighthouse property.
Both events tried to return to an settlement on Tuesday to fulfill the Credit Union however had been unable to take action.
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The Lighthouse representatives requested an adjournment to return again with a brand new settlement.
The choose issued a preservation order, stopping any layoffs, destruction of information or promoting of property earlier than the receivership choice has been made until 4 of 5 board members authorised.
The events are set to seem in court docket once more on Friday.
— with information from Global News’ Ryan Kessler
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
