(Image Credit: Mel Rothenburger)

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Reluctant council gives Heritage Society reprieve at St. Andrew’s

Apr 25, 2020 | 6:45 AM

MEANWHILE, OVER AT ST. ANDREW’S, there are developments.

You will recall there was a major public outcry a few months ago over the City’s inexplicable determination to give the Kamloops Heritage Society the boot from its two decades-plus of operating St. Andrew’s on the Square.

There was no logical reason for City council’s ungracious treatment of the long-suffering, hard-working society that is largely responsible for saving the old heritage church from the wrecking ball and making it into a treasured community facility.

And it appeared there was no way City lawmakers would back off. But, thanks to some timely intervention by top City brass, somewhat saner heads have prevailed, at least for now.

Though City Hall hasn’t gotten around to an official announcement yet, a new agreement has been inked between the society and the City that more or less maintains the status quo, for a while.

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Maybe Mayor Ken Christian and his fellow council members have been focused on other things — like, let’s see, a global pandemic — but the wheels of local government have continued to grind away in the background.

So, in a document dated March 19, the society maintains the reins through this year and next. It’s not a perfect document but it’s a lot better than what the council originally had in mind.

It all began last August when, as first revealed here, the mayor informed the society by letter that its tenure at St. Andrew’s was being terminated.

This was done with no consideration of what the City’s takeover would cost taxpayers, not to mention the society has plowed close to $300,000 into the church plus furnishings.

In the weeks and months that followed, as the society tried in vain to talk common sense into City Hall, council and its senior cultural staff refused to back off. There was a serious failure to communicate that led to a lot of misunderstandings. Despite evidence to the contrary presented by the society, Coun. Arjun Singh insisted the termination was based on concerns about “building utilization and long-term governance stability.”

Community services director Byron McCorkell privately accused the society of “taking (its) marbles and going home” when the society refused to roll over.

Coun. Mike O’Reilly publicly repeated an erroneous talking point from staff that the society itself had asked to be relieved of its duties. And Coun. Dieter Dudy acknowledged “mistrust and acrimony” had entered the picture and that “the reconsideration ship has sailed.”

The council did, indeed, reject reconsidering the takeover by a 7-2 margin in a closed-door meeting. One of the stated reasons was that due to legislative rules the deadline for reconsideration had passed.

The only way the decision could be changed was if an entirely new proposal was put forward.

That’s when CAO David Trawin got involved. The result is the new agreement concluded March 19. Most of it is similar to the old one but apparently satisfies the legal requirement that it be new.

It clarifies the City’s and society’s responsibilities on building upkeep and sets up new reporting responsibilities. The society must provide monthly updates to Kamloops Museum and Archives supervisor Julia Cyr on bookings.

However, the society will continue to do its own bookings, unlike council’s original insistence that bookings go through the City’s booking system. The society will also provide an annual report to Cyr, and a society board member will meet once a month with a designated City staffer.

It’s by no means a perfect document. Council turned down the society’s request to remove the word “transition” and to include a clause leaving the door open to renewing the term when it expires Dec. 31, 2021. That stance continues to be baffling and confirms council’s determination to get rid of the society as the manager. This is only a reprieve.

Nevertheless, Annette Schonewille, the heritage society’s new president, says it’s “the best that could be done,” and praises Trawin for “really going to bat” for the society.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has kicked the society in the shins just as it has everyone else. Although St. Andrew’s remains open and available for small events, manager Mel Formanski says bookings are pretty much down to nil. So much so that she’s taken herself off the payroll, though she still goes in to work to look after the place.

At least, though, the society is still officially there and looking after this gem of a heritage building. And, who knows, maybe council will come to its senses by the end of 2021.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He writes five commentaries a week for CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.