THE IRVINGS SHOULD LEAVE FRANK BRANCH ALONE!!!!

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NB Telegraph-Journal | Politics
As published on page A3 on May 6, 2006

Commission says Branch won't get any more money
Embattled MLA expected to answer allegations in the legislature next week

By Shannon Hagerman
Telegraph-Journal

The New Brunswick Forest Products Commission has cut off the salary of a former Liberal MLA who was dismissed as manager of a northeastern forestry agency.

Linda Gould, executive director of the commission, said all payments to Frank Branch were cut off when he was fired as manager of the North Shore Forest Products Marketing Board.

"At this point, the board has no intention of making any future payments," she said.

The MLA for Nepisiguit, who moonlighted as manager of the wood marketing board, has revealed he was earning $20,000 a year as board manager.

The embattled MLA's role within the Bathurst-based board came under scrutiny last October when the commission announced it was suspending Mr. Branch and taking over the powers of the agency's board of directors.

After launching an independent investigation, the commission dismissed the MLA, who now sits as an Independent, in March. Another board employee, the accountant, has also been fired.

Commission chairman Bernard Valcourt revealed Thursday the investigation was sparked by allegations Mr. Branch had struck a lucrative contract with the board in exchange for hiring another board member as an employee.

The 10-year contract, signed in 2001, would require the board to pay Mr. Branch $42,000 a year in salary and expenses if his employment was terminated before 2011.

The contract details were outlined in a letter written by a whistleblower who tipped off private woodlot owners served by the Bathurst-based agency.

"One of the allegations was that the manager exercised a certain degree of control over certain members of the board, and such that he literally controlled all decisions of the board," Mr. Valcourt said Thursday during a meeting of local woodlot owners.

None of the allegations have been proven.

Bathurst police are now investigating the wood marketing board.

Mr. Branch, who attended Thursday's public meeting with his lawyer, declined comment.

He is expected to respond to the allegations next week inside the legislature, however.

The MLA has alleged he was framed by another employee within the local marketing board, whom he called 'the accomplice', who falsified his expenses and then blackmailed him with the evidence

The commission's investigation has opened a bitter feud among former board members who were informed Thursday they would be replaced by a new board appointed by the commission.

Two former board members got into testy exchanges with Mr. Valcourt during the information session, scheduled to update local woodlot owners on the situation.

Several speakers questioned why the commission is appointing board members. Wood marketing boards, which are supervised by the New Brunswick Forest Products Commission, normally elect delegates within their local districts to vote for new board of directors.

Ms. Gould said the commission will give this power back to local woodlot owners after the results of the commission's investigation are publicly released.

"We aren't able to give all the information right now and people don't have all the information they need to make an informed decision (about board elections)," she said.

The commission hopes board elections can be held in the spring of 2007, or the spring of 2008, she said.

The commission will also be visiting the 11 districts within the North Shore Forest Products Marketing Board this fall to present audited financial statements for 2005-2006. The commission was unable to present this information Thursday because the board's books have been sealed by police investigators.