Fort Liard (Jan 14/05) - A nagging question has been answered by the Acho Dene Koe's Calgary-based accountant, who attended a public meeting in Fort Liard on Jan. 3.

Paul Teoh told the Drum that a trust fund established by the Acho Dene Koe First Nation has not been accessed by the current chief and council. The fund, built on payments from oil and gas companies, was established by former band leaders including Chief Harry Deneron. Deneron had questioned whether Floyd Bertrand, the present chief, and his council were dipping into the account.

Bertrand later declined to publicly disclose how much money is in the trust fund.

Band council is proceeding with a forensic audit of the band's financial records, he noted. However, he wouldn't say who has been hired to conduct it or how it will be paid for. However, he said the auditor will be visiting Fort Liard within the next few weeks to answer band members' questions.

"After this audit is done there's going to be a report done on the findings and an introduction (revealing) where the funding came from and so forth," he said. "Only after the report is done, you'll see it."

Teoh, who has been the band's accountant since 1997, is recommending that band council and the Beaver Enterprises board of directors be independent. Currently, Bertrand is vice-president of the Beaver board while band councillor Guy Berreault is president.

"If there is a cross-over then they have to prove that the two entities are separate," Teoh said.

Valerie Hope, a concerned band member, said there is too much turnover in management at Beaver Enterprises and too much political interference. She said she is in favour of directors being elected, just as band councillors are.

"I said (to Floyd Bertrand), 'You appoint these people and it comes back to you because you appointed them.'"

Bertrand noted that a review of Beaver's board of directors is still being conducted by the band council. He said he wouldn't prejudge what may come from the evaluation.

He contended that his critics in the community are angry that board members have changed four times during his tenure as chief.

"You change the board to make things better and then they're complaining you're changing to board too much, yet they want the board changed again," he said, "When are they satisfied?"

Replacing too many directors could also signal instability to bankers, which could harm the company, Bertrand added. Hope also insisted that not enough consultation takes place with band members. For example, a new $800,000 band office is being built without band members' input, she said.

Joanne Deneron, a former band councillor, added that Bertrand did not give enough notice for last week's public meeting, and it was held while some people were still away on holidays. Only about a dozen people showed up.

Bertrand replied that it was the only time that the band's lawyer and auditor were available. He maintained that it's a small group of disgruntled band members who are monopolizing public meetings and thereby dissuading other community members from attending.

"What's the use? It's the same old dance and song we hear," he said. "It's kind of like a turn off."

An election for ADK chief and council has been called for July.