THE former president of the Leeton Chamber of Commerce and Industry has threatened legal action against the new executive following on from the recent fractious annual general meeting.
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Graham Heffer wasn’t voted back into the position at the meeting.
In a letter to the chamber’s new public officer George Weston and president Jodie Ryan, Mr Heffer said there “appeared to be deliberate fraudulent activity to affect the outcome of the election process”.
“There were persons in attendance at the AGM who purported to be members of the association, but upon checking attendance, membership records and relevant financial reports, this has been found not to be true,” Mr Heffer wrote in the letter.
“These persons clearly misrepresented themselves to the chamber when questioned during the AGM.
“Permitting non-financial members to participate and vote at the AGM contravenes the associations own constitution and rules.
“Article 35(4) (states) a member is not entitled to vote at any general meeting of the chamber unless all money due and payable by the member to the chamber has been paid.”
Mr Heffer has demanded the result of the AGM be declared invalid and another meeting held.
“The election of office bearers at the AGM on August 19 was contrary to the association’s constitution and rules,” he said.
Mr Heffer said he hand delivered the letter to Mr Weston and Mrs Ryan and had not yet received a response.
“As I haven’t received a response, I will be taking this further,” Mr Heffer said.
However, Mrs Ryan said the chamber wasn’t aware of the documents.
She said questions regarding the validity of those in attendance needed to be directed back to Mr Heffer.
“The incoming chamber committee was not responsible for the conduct of the AGM,” Mrs Ryan said. “There were independent scrutineers engaged by the outgoing committee who conducted the voting process.
“The chamber has not been notified of any legal action, therefore the incoming committee is conducting its affairs as per legislative requirements.”
In the lead up to the AGM, The Irrigator was made aware of concerns about fraudulent activity regarding the chamber’s financials. In his letter, Mr Heffer said the claims had the potential to impact his business, but Mrs Ryan said no such allegations had been made.
“The chamber is unaware there has been claims made of misappropriation of financials by the former president,” she said.
