(Image credit: Mel Rothenburger).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Another he-said, they-said day in the Pandemonium Capital

Mar 22, 2023 | 4:56 AM

THERE WERE FROWNS, smirks, knowing glances and angry words as another day in the Pandemonium Capital of Canada played out in City council chambers Tuesday.

It was a special meeting called by disgruntled councillors unhappy with Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s decision to add members of the public to standing committees and remove some of the councillors as chairs.

In the end, councillors got their way, passing motions to review the terms of reference of standing committees and suspend the existing committees until a special select review committee brings back a report.

It was, possibly, the most disagreeable mayor vs. council engagement yet. The mayor, attending by Zoom with Deputy Mayor Kelly Hall chairing the meeting, was frequently interrupted by Hall and other speakers, and did his own share of interrupting as well.

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Coun. Stephen Karpuk, who campaigned last October on change and a “different direction,” challenged Hamer-Jackson at length on his decision to bring voting members of the public onto committees.

And Coun. Bill Sarai went into a lengthy harangue about his grievances with the mayor, absurdly insisting Hamer-Jackson should ask council before talking to others about ideas for the city.

“When I wake up in the morning you want to tell me what I’m going to do each day?” the mayor fired back.

Coun. Dale Bass, who made the motions for review, wondered about the implications of letting citizens onto committees when they don’t have the same duty to confidentiality as councillors, even though the Community Charter allows it.

It’s predictable what will happen next. The review committee was given no deadline but will eventually come back with a new process for considering the appointment of members of the public to standing committees and remove the mayor’s authority to appoint the committee chairs.

So, the council that wants the mayor to consult with them more once again told him no, and the he-said they-said 8-1 silly bugger game in which nobody wins will continue.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops, alternate TNRD director and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. 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 Pattison Media.