Vernon’s O’Keefe Ranch loses legal fight with former board member

A former board member of the Historic O’Keefe Ranch near Vernon has won a legal challenge after the board of directors refused to hand over a list of the heritage museum’s members.

According to an Oct. 22 BC Civil Resolution Tribunal decision, former O’Keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society treasurer Gregory Hurst argued that the ranch had barred him from obtaining a list of the organization’s members, which was contrary to provincial law.

The decision said Hurst made the request for a complete list of the names and contact information of the ranch’s members in February. He noted he would only use the information in accordance with the law.

However, a week later, the board of directors passed a resolution to restrict access to the register of members to just the board president and one other person chosen by the president.

The decision gave an insight into the inner workings of the beleaguered historic museum and the bitter dispute between past and present board members.

The decision didn’t name any board members, using the initials BC, SP and SA instead.

Bruce Cummings was the president of the O’Keefe Ranch and stepped down in April, and Shelley Peach took over.

However, Peach resigned earlier this month, days before the ranch held its annual general meeting.

The decision said Hurst filed his claim with the Tribunal in March, two days after the heritage society said the list was restricted.

“O’Keefe says that providing Mr. Hurst access to the register of members would cause harm to it and its members,” the decision read.

In the decision, the O’Keefe board of directors made multiple allegations about Hurst’s conduct.

“It says he acted in a conflict of interest by proposing a business arrangement with a close friend, SB, bullied the directors, spread falsehoods, especially about O’Keefe’s caretaker and Mr. Hurst’s role in stopping an alleged purchase of the ranch,” the decision read.

The board also accused Hurst of causing the City of Vernon to largely cut off its funding for the ranch. Last fall, the City of Vernon reduced its annual funding to $10,000 from its previous level of $50,000.

However, the Tribunal wasn’t swayed by the board’s reasoning.

“I find O’Keefe’s allegations, even if true, are about different issues and insufficient to prove that Mr. Hurst intends to use the register of members inappropriately,” the Tribunal ruled.

The Tribunal said the members’ contact list can be used to call a general meeting or attempt to influence the voting of members, among other things, and the board had failed to prove Hurst would use the information for any other purpose.

The Tribunal ordered the ranch to allow Hurst access to the list of names, and, citing their “contentious history,” and to “minimize conflict,” ordered the O’Keefe Ranch board to hand over the list with no charge.

In the decision, Hurst, who resigned from the board in February 2024, also asked the Tribunal to order the O’Keefe Ranch to have its Annual General Meeting, although he dropped the argument explaining he’d based it on an outdated version of O’Keefe’s bylaws.

He also argued Bruce Cummings should stop identifying himself as the O’Keefe Ranch president.

However, Cummings resigned in April.

“Mr. Hurst does not dispute this or explain why the requested order is still necessary. I find this claim is now moot,” the Tribunal ruled.