Council in Kamloops, B.C., votes to suspend committees after mayor replaced councillors with members of public

Kamloops city council has voted to pause standing committees and review how they operate after the mayor replaced councillors on the committees with members of the public.

The vote happened during a contentious meeting Tuesday that revealed further cracks between Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson and the eight councillors elected alongside him last October.

The current dispute kicked off last week when it was revealed that Hamer-Jackson named nine members of the community to the city's five standing committees, which focus on things like finance, community services and civic operations.

His changes saw the removal of several councillors from chair positions, whom Hamer-Jackson hoped to replace with his own picks — which included failed council candidates and a member of his campaign team.

At a news conference Friday, the eight Kamloops councillors denouned "the chaotic and unpredictable behaviour of our mayor that leads to confusion and misinformation," in a collective statement read by Coun. Katie Neustaeter.

Speaking to CBC on Tuesday, Hamer-Jackson said the Community Charter grants him the power to make changes to standing committees. 

But local governments also have control over the exact makeup of those committees and Hamer-Jackson found himself outvoted 8-1 on multiple motions, resulting in a pause on all standing committee activity while council makes changes to its own internal rules for how committee picks are made.

Council has authority over the terms of reference for standing committees and can modify and rescind them if they so choose, Maria Mazzotta, the city's corporate officer, said during Tuesday's meeting.

Coun. Dale Bass said clarity is needed when it comes to members of the public serving on committees.

Mazzotta said council's code of conduct does not apply to public members of standing committees.

"Our expectations would be that there be respectful conduct and decorum of anyone engaging in any committee meeting," Mazzotta said. "It's not enshrined in the code of conduct."

A motion to suspend special committees was also approved.

Coun. Kelly Hall, who is acting as deputy mayor, will choose three council members for the select committee to review how standing committees operate.

Mayor says he didn't 'pick names out of the hat'

Kamloops This Week reported last week that several councillors had been removed as chairs of committees and were replaced by members of the community. Among those chosen were two people who ran unsuccessfully for council, and former B.C. attorney general Bud Smith, according to the newspaper. 

Hamer-Jackson said Tuesday that the people selected for committee roles have relevant experience.

"I didn't just wake up one morning and pick names out of the hat," Hamer-Jackson said. 

During Tuesday's meeting, Neustaeter told Hamer-Jackson she has heard from members of the public who would have liked to have been considered for a spot on a committee. 

"People who are tremendously qualified and would serve very well on these committees, but they were denied the opportunity because there was no fair process to be involved in that," Neustaeter said.

When asked repeatedly by Neustaeter about an equitable process to select citizens on committees, Hamer-Jackson said he thinks "it's possible" while also suggesting it's reasonable for mayor and council to suggest people they know personally.  

Hamer-Jackson said things aren't etched in stone and he is open to suggestions from council on who to add to committees.

"This isn't the end of the world here," he said.

Contentious meeting

At Tuesday's contentious meeting, which Hamer-Jackson attended virtually, Coun. Bill Sarai objected to the mayor's insinuations that committee members weren't getting enough done, pointing out that most had only been given one or two chances to meet so far.

"You gave us two months and one meeting each to give us a report card, and I find that very unfair," he said.

Hamer-Jackson offered praise to councillors, saying he feels "the people on council that are on these committees are are doing a great job."

That prompted an objection from Hall, whom the mayor wanted to remove as chair of the community and protective services committee.

"You publicly stated that we, in fact, as chairs were not doing a good job and yet today you're reversing your position saying that we are all doing a good job," Hall said.

"Councillor Hall, I didn't say all," Hamer-Jackson replied. "I felt that you weren't doing a great job ... I felt that you weren't engaged enough."

Mayoral clashes ongoing

The mayor's dissatisfaction largely stems from the visible signs of homelessness in Kamloops, along with a sense of increasing crime in the city — two subjects he focused on while running for mayor against four other candidates, all of whom had previous local government experience.

His approach to tackling the issues have pitted him against several organizations within the community, as well as the rest of council.

In November, B.C. Housing asked him to stop coming into shelters unannounced during the night, saying his visits were "disruptive."

He has also been accused of defaming the operators of non-profits in the city, resulting in him unexpectedly skipping an entire council meeting rather than recusing himself for a portion of it.

During Tuesday's meeting, Hamer-Jackson said he's felt stymied by the rest of council in his efforts to make change, while councillors said he's done a poor job of working collaboratively with those who were elected alongside him by working on projects he won't disclose and making unexpected moves such as his attempted committee shakeup.

"We've had more special meetings in this term than I had in the previous four years," said Sarai.