File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

CITY COUNCIL

Public inquires, new RCMP detachment to headline first Kamloops council meeting of 2025

Jan 13, 2025 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops city councillors are set to return to chambers on Tuesday (Jan. 14) for what could be a marathon first meeting of 2025. On the docket in front of mayor and council are changes to the procedure bylaw, including the possible removal of public inquires for a six-month period.

The idea of removing public inquires from the agenda was first put forward by Councillor Bill Sarai, before councillors returned the matter to the Governance Select Committee for review. On Tuesday, those recommendations will be on the floor.

“We are hoping to educate that segment of the public that doesn’t seem to understand, and I would include our mayor in this, what public inquires is for,” said Councillor Dale Bass, chair of the Governance Select Committee. “It is not to come in and complain about a rezoning in your neighbourhood that we cannot have a public hearing for because the provincial government won’t let us. It’s not to come in and utter homophobic and racist remarks at staff and councilors. It is not to come in and threaten us.”

The proposal is for a six-month trial period, before another review of the initiative would take place.

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“We talked about this a lot before the committee meeting. We talked about the fact that we don’t want to do this. We wish we didn’t have to do this, but we have to do this. You have seen it, you have sat through it where we have public inquires that take up two-and-a-half hours, but there wasn’t a lot of questioning in there. There was a lot of complaining, there was a lot of misinformation, there was a lot of silliness that makes no sense,” said Bass.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to speak to the change during public submissions.

Also expected to garner interest is the $150-million proposal for a new RCMP detachment. The city is hoping to replace the overcrowded Battle Street building which sits at nearly double it’s intended capacity.

“We have a lot of interim measures in place with regards to our infrastructure and we continue to be effective while we work with the municipality on the development and ask for a newer facility,” Supt. Jeff Pelley told CFJC News in December.

Council is also set to begin discussion on changing building regulations across the city and update where they stand on the provincial housing target. The meeting begins at 1:30 p.m. at city hall.