File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Marty Hastings

McCorkell suspension

Councillor Sarai keeping open mind, but questions whether mayor had valid reasons for McCorkell suspension

Apr 2, 2024 | 7:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops city councillor Bill Sarai said a lack of transparency from Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson leads him to believe the mayor may not have valid reasons for his suspension last week of acting City of Kamloops CAO Byron McCorkell.

“If there is something serious, a breach of protocol or an issue with an employee or a staff member, it would be prudent of the mayor to bring that forward in a timely fashion, share it with council and deal with it right away,” said Sarai, who is the city’s deputy mayor for the month of April.

“The lack of transparency there leads me to believe that there isn’t anything there. But like I said, I don’t know. We have no idea today (April 2), seven days later, what the reason was, so I’m trying to reserve judgment on what’s coming. I’m just as curious as the rest of the residents.”

Council overturned McCorkell’s suspension during a special meeting last Thursday (March 28), two days after Hamer-Jackson sidelined the city’s top employee.

Sarai was asked how the ousting of McCorkell would have impacted Hamer-Jackson’s ability to make the changes he feels will benefit the city.

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Question of the Week

Should Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson apologize or resign after it was found he breached a section of council's code of conduct for allowing false or misleading information to be communicated?

Dec 09, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Donald has it wrong - again

Dec 08, 2024

“It wouldn’t have helped him one iota,” Sarai said. “What the mayor still doesn’t understand — and I share it with him constantly and I don’t get any buy-in — is you need four councillors to agree with your vision and what you want to bring forward.”

Hamer-Jackson told CFJC Today last week his plan was to reveal more reasons for the suspension during the next scheduled regular council meeting on April 9, but that plan was pre-empted when the special meeting was slated for last Thursday.

The mayor travelled last week to Las Vegas, a previously planned trip to watch his son play for the Vancouver Warriors of the National Lacrosse League.

“I told them I could be there on Monday,” Hamer-Jackson said. “They jumped in two days later instead of on the ninth [of April] because they didn’t want to listen to what I’ve got to say. They’re definitely not objective.”

Among the mayor’s qualms (read more about them here) with the process last week is his assertion that council met without him and decided to back McCorkell prior to the special meeting.

Sarai said that never happened.

“No. There was a special meeting called which was on a working day,” Sarai said. “Everybody changed their plans. It was 24 hours’ notice. The only one who didn’t change their plans was the mayor. Even Councillor Kelly Hall, who was on [Vancouver] Island on holiday, joined by Zoom.”

Hamer-Jackson offered three reasons why he deemed it necessary to suspend the city’s top employee: McCorkell’s role in “hijacking” the mayor’s recent speech at a Kamloops Chamber of Commerce dinner, the acting CAO’s repeated suggestion that street issues in Kamloops are no worse than anywhere else and election signs the mayor says were picked up at McCorkell’s request during the 2022 civic election campaign.

Sarai said none of them warrant suspending or firing McCorkell.

“Blaming one individual for the condition on the street is highly unfair,” Sarai said. “The mayor is aware of that. I don’t know why he’s putting it on the shoulders of acting CAO Byron McCorkell. The other two issues [signs and speech], I don’t want to even comment on. That’s got nothing to do with council suspending or firing a CAO. Those, to me, are not valid reasons if that’s all he’s got. I’d like to hear more.”

Sarai said he met with Hamer-Jackson prior to the suspension being handed down.

“He said he was going to do this,” Sarai said. “I questioned him on why. He didn’t share anything. Just on that and past history of not liking Byron, I couldn’t support it and I won’t support it until I hear some valid reasons.”

City human resources and staffing issues are usually discussed during closed, in-camera meetings.

“If it is discussed in closed, I hope it’s voted on to be released to the public at its earliest convenience, but that all depends on what the allegations are and what the mayor has brought forward,” Sarai said. “I think the public is more than entitled to know the reason. We all are, including [McCorkell].”

Hamer-Jackson said more rationale for the suspension will be offered and he wants council to hear it first.

“Everybody seems to ignore the Community Charter, but it’s the frickin’ rulebook, man,” Hamer-Jackson said, reinforcing his belief that the B.C. Community Charter notes he should have had until April 9 at the next regular council meeting to compile and present more information on McCorkell.

“Yeah, I would have had enough information. I’m not going to give it to you. I’ve got it. I’ve got to put it all together. One day, I’ll show it to council.”