Henry Braun at council (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

OUTSIDE HELP

Kamloops’ municipal advisor preparing to draft his final report

Mar 12, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Henry Braun has made a few trips to Kamloops to meet face to face, one-on-one with the eight members of council and Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, helping the veteran municipal leader get a lay of land.

“Right now, most of the votes are going 8-1, which is an interesting dynamic. I’ve not run into that. I am trying to speak into that as an unbiased, third-party observer, to help them deal with the governance issues better than what’s gone on. But that’s not an easy task,” said Braun.

While Braun would not tip his hand on his upcoming final report, he highlighted that improved communication is key to ensure Kamloops’ nine-member team can govern effectively.

“If we can get to a place where there is healthy communication… I have found, in my 74 years that I have been on this planet, that communication or miscommunication is often the beginning of things going sideways, and it’s people not hearing each other,” added Braun.

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With a binder full of notes, Braun admitted he won’t be able to deal with everything all at once, but will present his guide book to the city.

“I might take the top 12 (issues) or something and lay out a work plan going forward. ‘Here are some things that I suggest,'” said Braun. “But, that’s all I can do. I’m not here to tell council, ‘You must do this or must do that.’ That’s not my role.”

Braun was brought to Kamloops following a motion put forward by Councillor Margot Middleton. While Braun can only make recommendations to council, she’s confident the work won’t be for nothing.

“We still have a couple more years ahead of us and it’s going to be long couple of years if we continue on in the same manner we are now,” Middleton told CFJC Today. “They are only recommendations. There is nothing that says we have to do this or have to do that. But, common sense and all the effort that has been put to this stage should not be wasted.”

While Braun’s contract runs until June 7, he expects that this week will be his last trip to Kamloops until he presents his report.

“I will go home now and collate my notes into some semblance of order, reflect on that and then start to write my report. It’s not going to take me until June 7. That’s a pretty wide window. I’m guessing maybe a month from now I might come back to council,” stated Braun.

The public will have an opportunity to view the final report after it’s been presented to the province and the city.