Image credit: CFJC Today

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: A tiny glimmer of hope appears in the standoff between mayor and council

Jul 12, 2023 | 4:58 AM

MAYBE IT’S A CASE of yearning for something positive to come out of a Kamloops City council meeting but there was actually a sign yesterday that the public might get a chance to be brought into the picture by the time the year is out.

The council re-endorsed the idea of holding town hall meetings. Mind you, it did so by agreeing to establish a new select committee to study it, which will take a few months. And, mind you, the idea had previously been handed over to one of the standing committees that was officially disbanded Tuesday.

And, mind you, Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson refuses to sit on the new committee because he thinks it won’t do much other than approve reports from staff.

But, hey, let’s look on the bright side. The mayor also put forward a notice of motion to pursue a KamTalk-style town hall to discuss issues relating to seniors, protective services, civic operations and sustainability.

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Culturally appropriate food goes beyond the ingredients on a plate

8h ago

Two and Out

PETERS: Whether building up or tearing down, Kamloops is what you make it

Dec 13, 2024

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: How to reduce food waste in Kamloops during the festive season

Dec 13, 2024

It’s not often politicians pay attention to advice from us humble scribes in the media, so let me acknowledge the mayor’s reference to KamTalk. As I wrote recently, KamTalk was a major community engagement event I initiated and named some 20 years ago before I had “Armchair” in front of my title.

Anyway, the upshot is that we once again have two initiatives from within City council to create town hall opportunities.

This could be seen as just another case of the mayor and the rest of council pursuing different paths. But maybe not.

The discussions yesterday were, basically, a reset of a previous standoff concurrent with all the committee structure silliness. One might wonder why a brand-new committee is needed to set up town hall meetings, but the upshot is that there’s a new opportunity to move forward on the important issue of public participation in our local democracy.

Maybe, just maybe, they’ll get it right this time.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger 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 has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

—

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.