ROTHENBURGER – ‘Mayor’s ongoing misconduct strains public trust’ councillors claim

CITY COUNCILLORS now say they’ll release a redacted version of a report to Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kaylon on dysfunction at City Hall within the next few weeks.

Following on the heels of a refusal to release letters between Kaylon and councillors to the Armchair Mayor under Freedom of Information legislation, councillors have posted a news release on the City’s website summarizing the ground covered in the update to the minister.

As outlined in my column yesterday (May 5, 2025), I received notification from the City on Friday that it would not release correspondence on the matter between Kaylon and the City, citing a provision allowing public bodies to refuse to disclose documents if they plan to publish them within 60 days of an FOI application.

My application was submitted April 1.

“Council has implemented a range of measures to strengthen governance practices, safeguard staff, and uphold public trust,” states the news release. “These include enhanced protocols to protect sensitive information, measures to ensure operational continuity, and initiatives to promote ethical leadership. Despite ongoing challenges, Council remains steadfast in its dedication to fulfilling the recommendations outlined in the Municipal Advisor’s Report.”

And Coun. Stephen Karpuk, deputy mayor for May, is quoted in the release as saying “Kamloops City council is dedicated to keeping our citizens informed and ensuring that sound governance practices remain at the heart of our work. Accountability and transparency are essential to building trust and fostering a community where everyone can feel represented and supported.”

The summary includes a number of grievances councillors have against Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, details of which will presumably be included when the actual report is released. It states that 24 complaints of inappropriate behaviour by the mayor “including findings of bullying and harassment, resulting in legal risks and workplace claims. These include multiple WorkSafeBC claims arising out of the Mayor’s conduct, which the City is legally barred from detailing.”

It goes on to say the mayor, as of Feb. 13 (the date councillors sent a letter to Kahlon in response to his request for an update on implementation of the Braun report), had committed 21 “confirmed” cases of privacy and “several involving municipal confidentiality, undermining trust in governance and exposing the City to legal and financial risks. In one breach, the Mayor intentionally leaked to media a privileged and confidential report into his own mistreatment of staff,” an apparent reference to what’s known as the Honcharuk report.

“This leak became the subject of an independent investigation, in which the investigator determined that the Mayor ‘was either willfully blind’ or he ‘intentionally disregarded’ the steps Council took to protect the confidentiality of the report. The Attorney General has now intervened and is seeking a mandatory injunction compelling the Mayor to return all copies of the report.”

The summary also mentions code of conduct investigations, and claims Hamer-Jackson has missed “almost 50 per cent” of closed or special council meetings. Hamer-Jackson, of course, is known for his opposition to closed meetings and, in other cases, has been banned from attendance.

Council recognizes the significant challenges posed by the Mayor’s ongoing misconduct, which has strained governance, operations, and public trust in Kamloops. Despite these obstacles, Council remains committed to fostering transparency, accountability, and effective governance. With escalating costs and limited legislative tools to address misconduct, Council urges the Province to introduce reforms that empower municipalities to safeguard operations, protect staff, and uphold public trust. This critical issue presents an opportunity to implement meaningful legislative change that ensures communities like Kamloops can function effectively and sustainably.

According to the summary, the mayor’s actions have led to escalating legal costs and have caused more than $1 million in additional costs to taxpayers. It then outlines various sanctions and restrictions against Hamer-Jackson by councillors.

Hopefully, the actual redacted report will back up all of these claims with specifics. There’s no mention in the summary of the clandestine Sarai audio tape of a confrontation between the mayor and the councillor that triggered various investigations. Full content of the tape wasn’t released by Sarai until the mayor requested an RCMP probe, after which Sarai publicly apologized.

Also not mentioned are the other instances of leaks from within City Hall of confidential information that the mayor clearly wasn’t responsible for.

So what will the result be of all of this? Well, Kahlon, with support from councillors, is working on some new provincial rules aimed at the issue of dysfunctional councils. But the ultimate sanction — recall legislation for municipal council members — isn’t in the cards, so some other form of sanctions is more likely.

By the way, as one reads this latest release on the City’s website, it becomes clear that the website has become a platform for councillors in their grievances against the mayor, rather than an objective means of reporting the City’s business.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.