ROTHENBURGER – Two years in, how are council newbies performing?
Left to right, Sadie Hunter, Mike O’Reilly, Dale Bass, Bill Sarai.
TWO NOVEMBERS AGO, a new Kamloops City council was sworn in. They took an oath to “truly, faithfully and impartially” carry out their duties.
Four of the nine members of council were brand new to the job, never having served in political office. Halfway through their four-year term, how are they doing?
Good question. So, a brief review of the newbies is in order. I emphasize that these are observations by one council watcher, me. They can’t possibly do justice to the scope of the job or the totality of their work but they do touch on some of the key things the new councillors have been involved in.
SADIE HUNTER began as the least-known name on the new council. With the recent B.C. election, however, she just might have the highest current name recognition of any of the nine members.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
Either you don’t get out much or you are not sure what you are looking at or you are willfully avoiding looking at the evidence. Administration manages “pressures” from CUPE, the Firefighters union and the home builders/developers/real estate interests. Council is unquestionably just a side show. I suggested to you already you take the time to talk to one-on-one with many local businesses about the City of Kamloops procurement “policies”. Cronyism should have no place in within the City of Kamloops operating procedures. Furthermore a ban on single use plastic will do “diddly squat” for the environmental plight facing us. I could go on and on but obviously you are not really interested in an objective discussion.