Bench warrants issued for owners of Koeneman Lumber Company

Ken Johnston
Editor

Bench warrants have been issued for Richard David Koeneman and Myron Larry Williams of International Falls, Minnesota for failing to make a court appearance in Rainy River last Thursday.
Koeneman and Williams are the owners of Koeneman Lumber Company on Highway 11 in Rainy River. The company was charged by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) with five counts of failing to notify WSIB within three days after learning of an injury to an employee, and three counts of failing to provide an employee wage statement.
The charges are violations under sections 152(3) and 152 (1.1) respectively of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. In addition Koeneman himself has been charged with three counts of failing to provide an employee wage statement and Williams has been charged with five counts of failing to notify WSIB within three days after learning of an injury to an employee at their plant in Rainy River.
Both were scheduled to appear in Provincial Court last Thursday at 10 a.m. in Rainy River. However they failed to appear or to have representation there. The judge issued bench warrants for them and once they enter Canada they will be arrested immediately.
This news follows close on the heals of the Town of Rainy River’s seizure of the physical plant on Highway 11 in Rainy River about two weeks ago. The factory was seized for not paying about $70,000 in taxes to the town. A bailiff locked the building up and posted notices on the doors preventing anyone unauthorized from entering.
Koeneman Lumber Co. has one year to rectify the back tax issue. If nothing is done by then the town may put the building and its contents up for sale.