CITY HALL – Mayor told to ‘cease and desist unfounded accusations’

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson is being told to “cease and desist unfounded accusations against and interference with staff.”

The demand comes in a letter to the mayor from Coun. Mike O’Reilly dated Wednesday, Aug. 12, on City council letterhead. It’s signed simply “Coun. O’Reilly” — he’s the councillor designated to deal with matters between the mayor and staff members.

In the letter, which was released by Hamer-Jackson, O’Reilly opens with, “It has come to our attention that you continue to allege members of the City’s privacy team are biased against you, have personal conflicts of interest, and are therefore unable to process requests received by the City under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (‘FIPPA’).”

It continues, “This includes requests that require staff to compile and review responsive records in your possession.”

It doesn’t specify any current incidents but says it’s understood the allegations arise from staff members’ participation as witnesses in a Code of Conduct complaint and from affidavits they provided in unrelated court proceedings. That particular code complaint (stated as #2025-029 in O’Reilly’s letter but, presumably, a reference to #2025-0029) was filed in June 2025 by Coun. Dale Bass alleging that Hamer-Jackson breached his privacy obligations by improperly disclosing third party personal information in email correspondence. She also alleged he “harassed, intimidated, and obstructed” City staff in the course of statutory duties.

The resulting investigation found he did breach the Code of Conduct by disseminating sensitive material regarding a staff member on three occasions. It also found he bullied another staff member with several “unwelcome and objectionable” emails.

“I find that…Mayor Hamer-Jackson bullied and intimidated [the City staff member] when he: (1) questioned whether [they] had taken the most recent “FOIPPA foundations course” as he had; (2) made vague remarks about the day they met; (3) implied that he would not comply with [their] directions due to the need to use documents in a BC Supreme Court proceeding; (4) asked [them] who was in charge of the Whistleblower Policy; and (5) asked many odd and sometimes disjointed questions.
“These communications were intimidating and abusive in a manner that breached the Code.”

In response to the findings, Council issued a letter of reprimand, demanded letters of apology to three staff members or have his pay cut by five per cent for each letter, directed him to take training or have his pay reduced by a further five percent, and published a public censure.

O’Reilly’s Wednesday letter, says the City has obtained legal advice confirming that the staff members were not in a conflict of interest “simply because they participated in the Complaint,” and that the complaint is separate from their duties under FIPPA.

“Your allegations to the contrary are self-serving, completely unfounded, and risk undermining staff’s ability to perform the statutory roles assigned to them. They (allegations) should stop immediately.”

The letter says there’s also no basis to an allegation that City privacy staff are biased because they provided affidavits in court proceedings regarding a confidential investigation report that the mayor disseminated.

“Your allegation that City staff swore false affidavits is serious, unfounded, and entirely without merit. The City will not tolerate baseless attacks on the honesty or integrity of staff who were performing their duties in good faith. You are directed to immediately stop making or repeating these defamatory statements about City staff.”

O’Reilly’s letter says the City may pursue recovery of any costs that result.