VP Finance Resigns During ASFA Council Session

NewsJonathan Caragay-Cook — Published August 31, 2015

David Ness resigned after a councillor brought forward a motion that insinuated he was not distributing documents from the finance committee to all of its members. ASFA councillor Melissa Di Lena, author of the motion, alleged that Ness didn’t meet her requests to view documents she missed while on vacation.

Since May, all of ASFA’s executives have been working on an interim basis because of elections that failed to meet quorum in March.

Di Lena’s motion at council on Wednesday was personal and reactionary to the finance committee not approving her member association’s budget, according to Ness.

Many different councillors deliberated after the motion, including on questions that Ness responded to before he resigned.

ASFA’s VP External Jenna Cocullo said that three councillors asked Ness to resign for giving another councillor a document that was sensitive in nature.

Ness previously told The Link that he was not asked to resign, adding that if he did, ASFA’s financial accounts would freeze because of his status as a signing officer of checks. Cocullo has been appointed as the new signing officer, so the accounts can’t be frozen.

Also at Wednesday’s session, council chose to go into closed session to discuss a proposal for a touted ASFA visioning. Cocullo said the proposal wasn’t approved because, even though the council is in favour of its spirit, there were a “few tweaks” to be made. They went into closed session because finances were being discussed, she added.

The activities of ASFA’s financial committee were “unprofessional” since Ness has been acting as chair, according to Cocullo.

She elaborated, saying that at one meeting this summer—which former interim President Melina Ghio didn’t attend—non-committee members attended proceedings, while alcohol was consumed. It’s commonly understood that finance committee meetings are in closed session and only its five-person team can attend.

Following Ghio’s resignation in July, Cocullo began to attend meetings, but said that her requests to view notes from past ones were not met, and she was told they are not usually documented.

“From my understanding, last year’s VP finance conducted a more professional environment,” Cocullo said, referring to Ghio’s time as VP Finance last year.

She adds that Di Lena brought the issue to council because attempts to resolve the issues with Ness personally were not being met, and because the executive is short-staffed, a judiciary committee hasn’t been put into place yet.

“I don’t think it was anyone’s intention to have him resign at the meeting,” Cocullo said.

“I don’t think it was anyone’s intention to have him resign at the meeting,” VP External Jenna Cocullo said.

Robert Young, a councillor and member of the finance committee, told The Link that the committee has a tradition of functioning in closed session within the past few years, but it is not mandated by by-laws.

He added that due to past suspicions of favoritism and a lack of transparency around approving member association budgets, they decided to let meetings stay in open session.

He added that withholding documents has never been issue to his knowledge, and “all decisions were made with a sober committee.” Ness didn’t comment on the alcohol allegations.