Harrison Hot Springs mayor resigns amid ongoing council acrimony

Ed Wood, mayor of Harrison Hot Springs, B.C., has resigned after almost two years of acrimony and dysfunction on the resort municipality's council. 

In a short note posted on the village website, Wood indicated the resignation was effective immediately.

"I personally would like to thank both the corporate officer and the chief financial officer for their professionalism during our time together. They have demonstrated integrity, respect, and accountability of which I hold strong to. To the members of the public, it has been an honour to be your mayor," wrote Wood.

Since the 2022 municipal election when Wood was elected mayor, there has been a hostile divide on the five-person village council, resulting in chaotic meetings, a backlog of village business and rancour that has spread into the community.

The village's troubles seemed to hit a new low on April 15, when Wood began a council meeting by saying, "today is a sad day for this village. In my opinion, there is a coup."

Wood, who campaigned on cleaning house in council, alleged that he and Coun. John Allen were ganged up on by councillors Leo Facio, Allan Jackson and Michi Vidal to prevent them from pushing ahead with any of their initiatives.

He also alleged the three opposition councillors were empowering the village's chief administrative officer, Tyson Koch, to organize council meetings, including the preparation of the agendas, rather than the mayor.

In a statement last month Wood said he was unable to fulfill his statutory obligations because of an "ongoing vendetta against myself as our duly elected mayor and the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation."

Coun. Vidal told CBC News she was shocked to learn of Wood's resignation.

"That's a personal decision of his," said Vidal. "It's just always, you know, kind of disconcerting when an elected official, especially a mayor, chooses to resign."

Vidal said council was divided by "a difference in opinion and interpretation of our bylaws and our provincial statutes."

She said that the message to residents in light of his resignation is that council will carry on with the business of the village without Wood. 

Provincial law dictates that a byelection be called within 80 days of council appointing a chief election officer and notifying the province, which is supposed to happen "as soon as practicable after a vacancy occurs," according to the Local Government Act.