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By Michael Reeve

ONE MAN'S OPINION

COLLINS: Is it time to put an end to the Reid Hamer-Jackson debacle?

May 19, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Every time I think it’s time back off on the Reid Hamer-Jackson situation, something new comes up to bring it all back to the forefront.

This week, council listened as Hamer-Jackson was delivering some remarks in reference to last week’s report by municipal adviser Henry Braun, who criticized the mayor severely for not cooperating with his interviews and basically deflecting any of the things he was accused of doing. Hamer-Jackson, at one point, got into some private conversations or some private information and was immediately challenged by city officials that this information was not for public consumption. As the mayor continued to read, Councillor Stephen Karpuk challenged the authority of the chair and was successful in the motion, meaning that the mayor was not chairing the meeting anymore. The meeting then was handed over to the current deputy mayor, Kelly Hall, until the end of the program.

This was a fairly major step by city council and one that never should be taken lightly – and I don’t think councilors took it lightly in this case – but the mayor has this habit of rambling on when he gets in attack mode.

Council has already asked the mayor to resign, but he has refused. It’s time to change that. But we don’t have any opportunities or methods to force someone out unless it’s perhaps criminal or something like that. The government was asked to do something, but there are few ways of getting rid of a mayor – so are we stuck with Reid Hamer-Jackson for the next two years?

Anytime Hamer-Jackson has come forth about his leadership background, he talks about building teams in the past, indicating that he has a

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leadership style that works and has done this before. But since Day One of his arrival at City Hall, I have seen no indication of any leadership skills whatsoever. He has constantly been bickering back-and-forth with councillors and senior staff members, obvious by information in complaints filed by some of the city staff. He was accused of bullying teams and provides no leadership style management ability. I have been a senior manager for over 50 years, and I have yet to see teams work effectively using Hamer-Jackson’s so-called leadership methods. His conduct could be termed boorish at best, unforgivable at worst. He doesn’t see what he’s doing wrong. His style of leadership might be okay when you’re pushing used cars but it doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to lead 900 workers and a council into a team to take us into the future.

I did not vote for Reid Hamer-Jackson to be my mayor. But neither did I vote for Kelly Hall to be my mayor, or Katie Neustaeter or Bill Sarai to be the mayor. Yet that’s what we have now – a series of deputy mayors who muzzle the mayor and put forth their own thoughts. That’s not the way it should work either.

If Reid Hamer-Jackson had the best interests of the city at heart, he would resign. But I don’t think that will happen.

Is there another workaround to clear this up? If there is, we haven’t found it yet. The province has been virtually useless. And so we’re faced with an ongoing problem that will continue to divide our city government and our residents.

I don’t see the mayor leading. As he continues to try to go his own merry way, with no regard for anything but what appears to be his own agenda,

whatever that might be, he does so in a way that has gone against any leadership style I have ever seen.

If you’re elected to a leadership position, and you don’t lead, then it’s time to step aside for the good of the people. Time to do the right thing, Mr. Mayor.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.