In its search for answers, Moose Jaw's Downtown Facility and Fieldhouse (DFFH) board has opened itself up to questions. 

Thursday morning, the DFFH board approved the hiring of two consultants to investigate operations within Mosaic Place and Yara Centre: Moose Jaw's George Fowler and Saskatoon's Will Antonishyn. Fowler's contract is for "up to three months", while Antonishyn will be used on an "as needed" basis, according to the DFFH motion.

Antonishyn's background is with Credit Union Centre (now SaskTel Centre) as a director of finance and ticketing, and it's those skills the DFFH board is hoping to put to use in finding more efficient ways of hosting events and executing ticket sales at Mosaic Place. 

However, just before the board approved the motion to hire Antonishyn, they were advised that he and another former employee of Credit Union Centre (CUC), Brian Swidrovich, were fired in 2011 for improper spending on what the pair claimed was a business trip to Arizona related to the possibility of bringing a Canadian Football League franchise to Saskatoon. 

CUC management disagreed and fired the pair. According to the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, Antonishyn and Swidrovich then filed a wrongful termination suit over the issue and the situation remains unresolved. 

Moose Jaw city councillor Brian Swanson is chair of the DFFH board, and says Antonishyn did not reveal the situation in their contract discussions, but Swanson feels it shouldn't affect Antonishyn's ability to fulfill his contract. 

"We were told (at the January 5 meeting) there was an outstanding legal matter and that he had been severed from his employment and that it was before the courts. Nothing beyond than that there is an unresolved matter between Mr. Antonishyn and (his former employers)," Swanson explained.

"Mr. Antonishyn was recommended to us with his expertise on ticketing.  That's an area that we have some issues with at the DFFH.  I'm not privy to what's going on (with the lawsuit) at all. 

"Does it give me some concern?  A little bit I guess," Swanson continued. "But primarily the ticketing is where we're looking for some advice. 

Swanson reiterated the financial troubles the DFFH has encountered over the last two years. 

"The facilty had a subsidy from the city (in 2015) of $500,000 and it overspent that subsidy by $817,000 and in 2016 the budget from the city was $505,000 and that was overspent by $405,000, so there is some urgency in this (process)."

Swanson was asked if he was concerned about the optics of hiring a person that had been fired for "improper spending" to help the DFFH get its finances under control.

Swanson replied he'd "like to know more details" about Antonishyn's lawsuit before voicing an opinion, but emphasized "he (Antonishyn) will not be in control of any expenditures."

Swanson and the DFFH group will get their chance to do that Monday, as Antonishyn is expected to arrive for his first week of work under the contract.

Antonishyn's lawyer has yet to respond to a request for clarification on the wrongful termination suit. 

As for Fowler, he is currently general manager of the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company.  Swanson was asked if their was any potential conflict of interest regarding Fowler's hiring, given that both Mosaic Place and the Exhibition Company each rent out conference and banquet facilities and could be considered competitors.

Swanson dismissed that notion, saying Mosaic Place/Yara Centre and the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds are "both city-owned facilities" and that Fowler has "been hired to provide operations advice with respect to facilities and his expertise in food and beverage, facilities management and turning over facilities from one event to another."

The DFFH interim board will continue to hold weekly public meetings until they have settled on a permanent governance model.  Those meetings take place at Mosaic Place each Thursday at 10 a.m.