File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

LEGAL FEES RISING

Kamloops’ Committee of the Whole okays additional budget for mounting legal fees

Jan 22, 2025 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops’ provisional tax increase is currently sitting at 7.49 per cent. That represents a half-point decrease from the previous estimate after city council held a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 21). Council decided to defer funding of five new Mounties for six months, while also lowering the amount requested by city staff for growing legal fees.

“Our (legal) budget is $500,000. Last year, we spent $1.6 million. There is a shortfall,” explained City of Kamloops Director of Corporate Services David Hallinan.

With that in mind, city staff were requesting an increase of $800,000 for budgeted legal expenses.

“Whether it’s a Code of Conduct complaint or it’s a court filing to quash the (alternative approval process), we have to have the availability and the funds to be able to address and respond without putting the corporation at risk or in debt,” Hallinan told the Committee of the Whole.

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Council voted 6-3 to approve $300,000 more instead, with Councillors Dale Bass and Nancy Bepple opposed, preferring the full amount, and Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson opposed because he wanted no increase at all, taking issue with Code of Conflict complaints lodged against himself.

“I’m just wondering why we are hiring these high-priced lawyers at $60,000 a crack. (The complaints) become dismissed or frivolous, and using excuses like they assume somebody is going to retaliate or something like that. This is mostly by councillors and specific councillors and it’s a complete waste of money,” stated Hamer-Jackson.

Hallinan highlighted that the Code of Conduct complaints make up less than $200,000 of that $1.6 million price tag.

“This is being driven by inquires from the public and outside of our four walls. I’m excluding your code of conducts,” said Hallinan. “This is members of the public challenging FOIs (Freedom of Information), asking for additional information and putting us in court.”

The increase is a one-time addition to the budget, with Councillor Mike O’Reilly confident it won’t be a lasting issue.

“I don’t see this type of increase staying over two years from now, straight up. And by splitting the difference and looking at reserves as we need to take out… this is not something that will be in perpetuity after ’26, I believe,” said O’Reilly.

The recommendations made by council during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting still need to be approved during a future regular meeting to become official.