Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

City Hall

Kamloops council removes mayor from TNRD, airport boards

Jul 19, 2024 | 12:34 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council has taken another step to limit the powers of Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson.

In a news release issued Friday (July 19), council says it has voted to remove Hamer-Jackson from the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) Board of Directors and from the Kamloops Airport Authority Society.

The move cites municipal adviser Henry Braun’s report that highlighted Hamer-Jackson’s “persistent refusal to adhere to sound municipal governance practices.”

“The decision to rescind these appointments was not taken lightly,” states the release. “It comes after numerous incidents where the Mayor failed to uphold the legal and ethical standards expected of his office, including (but not limited to) numerous and ongoing violations of privacy and confidentiality obligations. The Mayor’s actions have undermined the trust and integrity essential to effective governance of City affairs and exposed the City of Kamloops to unnecessary legal risk.”

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This is the latest in a series of actions council has taken against the mayor in the wake of Braun’s report.

In the immediate aftermath of Braun delivering his damning report to council’s Committee of the Whole, the eight councillors formally called on Hamer-Jackson to resign. He refused, then reiterated his refusal earlier this week at a testy news conference.

In May, council removed Hamer-Jackson as the official spokesperson for council and the municipal corporation.

Last month, council barred Hamer-Jackson from attending closed committee meetings and docked his pay by 10 per cent for the next six months or until he formally apologizes for a Code of Conduct breach.

As a result of the latest move, Councillor Stephen Karpuk will join the TNRD board.

“Council hopes the Mayor’s removal from these boards is temporary, and it will review the matter again in three months. If Mayor Hamer-Jackson improves his governance skills by complying with the recommendations made in [Braun’s] report… council will consider reinstating the mayor’s appointments.”