In November of 2009 The Captain William Jackman Social Club received a government grant of $21,000.00 for a project called “Harvesting Our History”. The project is to compile and collect historical information from the community and to enter that information into a computerized database to be located in the town. The database is to be available for use by organizations and the general public. A committee of local seniors, from the club, had been appointed to carry out the project.When the money was received the executive deposited the funds to the regular club account, which contained the club's operating revenues and expenses. This was contrary to the wishes of the funding agency and contrary to normal accounting practices. The committee, to avoid confusion and misdirection of funds, also insisted on a separate account with a signing officer from the committee and one from the executive. The club executive refused and fired the committee.
The new project committee consists of the vice president of the club, and the secretary/treasurer of the club. They are signing officers for both the club account and the project monies and the secretary/treasurer handles the accounting for both. A situation that does not allow for any checks and balances to prevent misdirection of funds.
In addition these two individuals, both from outside the province and both living in this community for just three years, have now taken responsibility for collecting historical information from the town. They have taken over from the fired committee who were all born and raised in this community. Between them these former committee members not only have a lifetime of knowledge about the history and culture of our community and the people but they also have a large volume of already collected materials. To duplicate that information would not only be impossible but an unnecessary waste of money and time.
The fired committee has met with council to make the town aware of what should be achieved under the “Harvesting Our History” project however at this point in time – four months into a twelve-month project – (1) thousands of dollars have been spent on computer equipment and rent; (2) Nobody has been appointed to collect data (a job that is to be carried out voluntarily under the contract); (3) No computer software group has been approached to set up the database; and (4) Nobody has been assigned to do data entry which is just as well since no database exists and no data has been collected.
The people of Renews-Cappahayden will be watching closely how this project unfolds. The money is after all taxpayers money, not club money. $21 thousand dollars is a lot of money for a small town, and we have a lot of history to collect.
In the meantime to add to the executive’s woes three members of the board of directors have resigned in protest over the executive’s handling of the project leaving just five members on the board – one short of the necessary quorum to conduct business.
