Two more councillors resign

Photo: PIB

Chief and council following election

The embattled leadership of the Penticton Indian Band has been rocked by two more resignations of elected councillors, as calls for a new election intensify.

Timmothy Lezard and former Chief Jonathan Kruger stepped down following a community meeting on Aug. 30, joining Joseph Pierre, Naomi Gabriel and Denise Lecoy, who tendered resignations at various times since May.

“The turmoil, dissention and adversity we are currently experiencing, has become burdensome to us all and I am not prepared to be an obstacle whether perceived or real to our leadership and community,” Kruger wrote in his Sept. 5 resignation letter. “After much thought, I have decided to let my resignation from the PIB Chief and Council stand as my confidence in the current leadership has been lost.”

Kruger called the decision making process of the current council “ambiguous and inconsistent,” and wrote that he is frustrated by the current council’s “indecisiveness and unmotivated approach.”

His letter also criticized newly elected Chief Chad Eneas for igniting “division and segregation” among council members and the community, "it hurts me to see the community so divided."

“I have personally experienced defamation and character assassination by the Chief,” Kruger wrote. “He has made an untrue allegation about me deleting files before I left my position as Chief. I did not delete or shred files and would not do that.  I have attempted to resolve this issue with Chief Eneas; however, he has not done anything to retract the false statements publicly.”

Kruger concluded that he has obtained a legal opinion to bring an end to the issue, “as it has hurt my reputation and has caused upheaval in our community as community members are uncertain what to believe.  The Chief’s actions are disrespectful, hurtful and unconscionable.”

Kruger was the Penticton Indian Band’s elected Chief for eight years until he was unseated by Chad Eneas in October. Council was elected in December. 

Eneas did not return requests for comment.

Lezard published his own resignation letter, also on Sept. 5, citing “inconsistencies” in the way community meetings are run.

“To continue in my position as Councillor, to continue to see the inconsistencies would inevitably end in regret, on my part, as something should have been done when the inconsistencies were first seen and realized,” Lezard wrote. “Therefore, my resignation.”

At the Aug. 30 community meeting, a PIB electoral officer stated that there were grounds for a new election due to the resignations.

Lezard’s letter states that Chief Eneas pushed back against the calls for a new election, and indicated he will be pursuing a legal opinion.

Lezard called on Chief Eneas to make a copy of the legal opinion available at the Sept. 13 community meeting.

There has been calls for a vote of non-confidence for Chief and council since April, by community members unhappy with a perceived lack of communication within the community and outside world.

A PIB member in attendance at the Aug. 30 meeting told Castanet News the issue of the new election remains up in the air.

The Penticton Indian Band’s spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

Chief Chad Eneas, and councillors Clint George, Elliott Tonasket, and Suzanne Johnson are the only four members remaining on what is typically a nine member council.