More on Blazers saga

From The Daily News of Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007:
While the Kamloops Blazers’ prospects are on the ice at Interior Savings Centre on Aug. 23, many of their parents watching the first day of training camp, the WHL team’s shareholders will be debating the franchise’s future in another part of the building.
The Kamloops Blazers Sports Society, which operates the franchise on behalf of more than 250 shareholders, has called for an extraordinary general meeting to be held that evening in the Sports Action Lounge. It will begin at 7 o‚clock.
When the society met on July 11, 2006, and voted that its assets aren’t for sale, there were 194 shareholders. Since then, many members with multiple shares have sold some, many of which now are believed to be held by supporters of River City Hockey Inc., which is attemping to purchase the team for $6.1 million.
The society also is in receipt of a second offer, this one made late Friday night by Mike Priestner of the Edmonton-based Mike Priestner Automotive Group.
Society president Murray Owen said Friday that the Aug. 23 meeting is likely to be two meetings in one. Under terms of the B.C. Society Act, under which the society operates, 10 per cent of membership can ask for a general meeting. That is what happened as RCH supporters requested a general meeting.
“It’s a work in progress,” Owen said of the agenda for Aug. 23. “We had two extraordinary meetings planned. We’ll be meeting on Monday and getting advice as to what’s going to happen.”
With the board now having received two offers, Owen was asked if both will be presented to the members on Aug. 23.
“Our preference is that if the members want to sell it that they also provide the board with a means to go to the marketplace,” Owen said. “It’s going to be up to the members.”
The board will meet Monday morning, Owen said, “and maybe some good approaches will come out of that.”
Bob Smillie, who is chairman of the society’s governance committee, refused to comment on what might happen Aug. 23.
“We’re trying to keep this very neutral and still working through the process, which is very difficult and very complex,” he said. “I am committed to making sure that we do what is in the best interests of every member . . . I’m not at liberty (to speak freely) because Murray does speak for us.”