Kamloops mayor-elect O’Reilly, winning council candidates prepare to be sworn in November 2

“For myself, I plan on meeting with each of the new elected councillors to get an idea of what they want to see over the next four years,” said O’Reilly. “Where they are wanting to see their role on council, what their knowledge is around council, expectations. And then from there, meeting as council as a whole and really the team-building will start from there, rolling into the strategic plan.”

O’Reilly and company will be sworn in on November 2 in a ceremony featuring four familiar faces and five newcomers to city hall, including leading vote-getter Rob Bertrand.

“It’s opening up dialogue with the city. There are a lot of individual focuses to do with spending, AAPs and all these processes, but I think first and foremost is rebuilding trust with the residents of Kamloops. I feel there is a large majority of people who have felt like they have been kind of disconnected. We have to first get back to that before we start really pushing forward with everything else,” said Bertrand.

During the last term, public Inquires were suspended from regular council meetings. Already with O’Reilly, Bertrand, Randy Sunderman and Katie Neustaeter, it appears support is there to bring the public’s voice back into the chambers.

“Economic development is on the top of my priority list,” said Neustaeter. “I think Kamloops needs to be completely open for business and we need to make that easier and possible for people who want to come here, grow their families here and work here, as well.”

Sunderman ran as part of Pivot Kamloops, a four-person slate, but was the only member victorious on Saturday evening.

“I really enjoyed working with them and will continue to have conversations with the Pivot team, for sure,” said Sunderman. “As far as one of nine, we were always going to be one of nine so I don’t really see a big difference between what has happened today than what we had been planning all along.”

O’Reilly is planning to bring forward his campaign promise to shutter the Merit Place shelter swiftly once he takes office.

“I believe emergency shelters cannot co-exist in core residential neighbourhoods or business districts – I just don’t believe they can,” added O’Reilly. “And that is due to the fact that the provincial government (is) providing a lack of support services and wrap around services. I look forward to bringing that forward.”

by Michael Reeve

Kamloops mayor-elect O’Reilly, winning council candidates prepare to be sworn in November 2

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