CITY COUNCIL – Mayor’s motions on meals, relatives quickly shot down
(Image: Mel Rothenburger file photo)
Motions by Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson to axe catered meals for council members during meetings and to ban the hiring of councillors’ relatives quickly fell by the wayside today (Feb. 3, 2026).
Presented as notices of motion, they got nowhere with the rest of council. The mayor’s motion on cutting out meals failed to get a seconder so it was dispensed with in a few seconds.
His motion to prevent the future hiring of close relatives of council members was seconded by Coun. Kelly Hall but Hamer-Jackson — who attended the meeting via Zoom — was the only one to vote in favour of it. Coun. Dale Bass was absent. Councillors Margot Middleton, Stephen Karpuk and Mike O’Reilly recused themselves because they have relatives who work for the City.
Hamer-Jackson was frequently interrupted by Coun. Nancy Bepple, who sat in the chair, and he and Coun. Katie Neustaeter also exchanged a few words. Neustaeter chastised him for not receiving advice on the legalities of the motion. It was “deeply concerning,” she said.
At another point, she commented, “We do understand your propensity for targeting family members.” Neustaeter said his proposed policy would be discriminatory.
Coun. Bill Sarai agreed with that, and Hall said existing law and policy already addresses the issues in the motion. “I really find the motion is unnecessary and quite problematic for the corporation.”
ArmchairMayor.ca 
The quorum comment seemed to be in relation to councillors having to exit the room due to conflict of interest on a motion involving nepotism, then quorum being lost because there’s two councillors remaining who don’t have family employed by the city.
And certainly this bold council did not want to talk about the ending of free catered food at meetings.
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Doesn’t anyone on this council do any homework? Each time I watch/listen to council meetings I’m disappointed at how they’ve dummy downed the meeting. Doesn’t anyone on council do their homework?
The motions ought to have been embarrassing for them, they’re 3plus yrs into this and they still don’t get it. The first motion on free lunches, no one was willing to say peep about it, not a syllable was uttered, the cowardice sadly was not surprising. What happened to the “brave” & “decisive” actions we’re heard so much about?
The 2nd motion all the Mayor was asking for was to “direct staff to prepare a report for Council on implementing…” a staffing policy. What’s the implications of asking for a report, Katie makes it sound like he’s requesting to implement the War Measures Act.
It’s not a clear policy, the public is confused, it’s certainly worthy of a discussion yet no one knows what they’re talking about. And the interruptions, when the chair gives a member the floor they’re suppose to let the member speak or in the mayors case mumble for more than 25 seconds before cutting them off.
Good heavens man, write a script, use talking points, follow some flash cards, anything to stay on a coherent path. What the hell does quorum in the past have to do with your motion?
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Why didn’t Coun. Sarai also recuse himself? As far as I’m aware, his son works for the city as a bylaw officer.
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I’m not aware of where his son currently works.
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Obviously this was doomed as family is a specific criteria mentioned under BC discrimination laws. But damn if it wasn’t funny to see Reid clear out nearly half the council chambers as one councillor after another declared a conflict of interest for having family employed by the city.
The ratio of councillors with family directly employed by the city seems very high, and certainly gives rise to the perception that there’s funny business going on. Which is sometimes all that matters.
NO INCUMBENTS 2026.
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