Racing could be delayed at the Dresden Raceway this year, as the Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) continues their investigation into the Dresden Agricultural Society.
However, the Dresden group is looking for a fresh start.
A membership meeting was held Wednesday night (January, 7) at the Dresden Arena, where the board of directors for the Agricultural Society were voted out.
North Kent Coun. Joe Faas told the Sydenham Current that Lucille Laprise was voted in once again as president of the group at Wednesday’s meeting as well.
“They re-affirmed Lucille Laprise as president and then they dismissed the current board of directors,” Faas said. “They appointed eight people on an interim basis to assist Lucille in the transition.”
Faas said the Agricultural Society will be electing a new board of directors at their upcoming annual general meeting, being held Wednesday, January 28.
Laprise could not immediately be reached for comment.
QMI Agency is reporting that Laprise had been dismissed by the now former board of directors back in October for a number of alleged reasons, including:
– spending money without board approval
– endorsing cheques without the proper two signatures
– not following the boards motion to pay for invoices
– and withholding information and financial data from the board
“I don’t have all the details… but I think that is what got the membership together to figure out what is going on,” Faas told the Sydenham Current. “Basically we said we need to get this sorted out or the Ag. Society is going to go on a downward trend. I think they felt they had to come up with some solution to move things forward.”
Faas added: “I think that is what the purpose of dismissing the current board was. They’re electing a new board at their annual general meeting, so the Ag. Society can start new and start working on the things that they do.”
Media reports say the ORC is holding off on handing the Agricultural Society a license to operate the Dresden Raceway in 2015, as they conduct an investigation.
Messages to the ORC have yet to be returned.
Although race dates were announced back in December for the Dresden Raceway for the upcoming season, they are no longer listed on the ORC website.
Dresden had been approved for 11 race dates in 2015, with the opening day slated for May 31.
Faas said he did not have any information about an investigation being launched by the ORC.
The Agricultural Society took over the operations of the race track last year, and reports say they want to continue doing so moving forward.
We’ll provide more information on this story when it becomes available.
