File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

PUBLIC INPUT

Public inquires to return to Kamloops council meetings – but with new rules in place

Mar 12, 2025 | 4:38 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops’ Committee of the Whole has voted to bring public inquires back to regular council meeting agendas after a two-month pause. The pause was initiated by Councillor Bill Sarai, who advanced the issue after a Zoom-bombing incident last year. The committee was presented with a trio of options, including to continue the pause, return to the previous model or the eventually approved motion of changing the formula but allowing public inquires to return.

Disruptions have become an all-too-common occurrence during the current council’s term, coming to a head last year, and eventually resulting in the temporary removal of public inquires in January.

“Yes, it should be a conversation. The questions are, ‘Where, when and how should that conversation happen in the context of a regular business meeting of council?’ If so, how much time do we allot for that? How many speakers? (Are there) any other limitations we should consider?” said Corporate Officer Maria Mazzotta during her presentation to council.

City council, through committee, has stated a desire to bring the public back to the lectern at the beginning of every regular meeting, with only the mayor in opposition, wishing to see a full return to the previous model.

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“I just don’t know why we don’t go back to the status quo, but apparently that’s not going to happen, so I will call the question on the motion.” said Hamer-Jackson before the motion was carried.

There will, however, now be new limitations put in place in the hopes of keeping the meetings on track.

“We are suggesting two minutes per speaker with a maximum of five per meeting. We are suggesting advanced sign-up within a specified time frame. As people know the council agenda goes public at 9:00 a.m. on Friday mornings. We are suggesting that the sign-up open at that time so folks can take a look, see what is on the agenda, decide what they might want to speak to,” said Mazzotta of the approved motion.

Mazzotta also mentioned provincial legislation limits opportunities for public input on developments.

“If a public hearing is prohibited, we can’t turn a public input opportunity into a proxy for a public hearing. If a public hearing is coming up, then we don’t want to substitute a public hearing with that public input opportunity or taint the public hearing process. Likewise for public submissions, for example, for [development variance permits],” outlined Mazzotta.

The official change from council will take a full resolution and the chance for public submissions at an upcoming meeting — all that to mean, public inquires are set to return at the first meeting in May.