Lighthouse Supported Living membership asks for directors’ resignations

The 45-person Lighthouse Supported Living membership is asking for the resignation of every person on the board of directors, citing unethical, immoral and unprofessional actions.

A recent vote by the membership on the matter indicated nearly 60 per cent were in favour.

According to member and volunteer Sandra Lazar, the membership is made up of volunteers, donors or others who are voted in by the board each year. The membership is also responsible for overseeing the actions of the board of directors.

Over the last several months, The Lighthouse has been plagued with serious issues.

In early January, the shelter received thousands of dollars in fines for dozens of fire code violations after a fire on Dec. 10. Assistant Fire Chief Yvonne Raymer said the fire department was working with staff at the facility to remedy those violations, which dated back to April of 2021.

By late January, the Lighthouse board of directors took over management of the property and appointed board president and chair Jerome Hepfner as an interim manager, along with vice-president Twila Reddekopp.

Then in early February, several employees, including managers and directors, were abruptly fired. Some were escorted off the Lighthouse property by security, while others were served their termination papers at home.

Lazar said serious lapses in leadership and governance at the non-profit have taken place, including the failure of the board to uphold its responsibility to be accountable, transparent and informative to its membership regarding recent actions.

“There’s a lot more going on that we don’t know,” Lazar said. “It may be an uphill battle, but myself and all other members that voted for this, we don’t want to go down without a fight.”

According to a statement issued Thursday: “On February 10, 2022, the membership held an information session to learn more about the recent actions; however not one invited board member attended. Members concur that recent actions have not been vetted through proper channels and are therefore in violation of Lighthouse Bylaws and the Non-Profit Act.”

Lazar also said the board members have put the safety and overall well-being of the residents who live at the facility at risk because they don’t have the proper training, knowledge or experience to run the facility.

“You don’t get many people that can work in that environment with a huge skill set that are working with people that are challenged with addictions and mental illness and abuse,” she explained.

“I don’t know what the heck (board members) were thinking when they did this, but I believe the health and the safety of the current residents and clients is at risk with them there.”

Lazar doesn’t believe The Lighthouse can continue operating as it is right now.

“Not if they keep the same people there,” she said. “They’re ingenuine to the cause. I don’t know what their motive is for this, but I can tell you it’s not keeping the clients’ best interests top of mind, I can tell you that.

“They are not getting served there at all. I know it.”

Several requests for interviews or statements have been made of Hepfner and Reddekopp. No response had been received by the time of publication.