Reid Hamer-Jackson at his swearing in ceremony, Nov. 1, 2022.

(LEVI LANDRY / iNFOnews.ca)

Kamloops city council called for the mayor to resign, but he's not expected to listen.

The eight other members of Kamloops city council supported a motion asking for his resignation just after hearing a damning report on the mayor's reluctance to work with elected officials and staff.

"You're telling me council can put a mayor forward and kick the mayor out of his chair?" Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said just ahead of the vote.

They in fact cannot "kick" Hamer-Jackson from the mayor's seat, but it's a clear show that he has no support from the eight other members of council. 

"It's been very well documented, we have struggled as a council of nine to collectively in a professional and cohesive manner," Coun. Margot Middleton said, just before bringing up the motion.

The motion that he resign "immediately" ended with an 8-1 vote, but there is no expectation that the mayor will do so.

READ MORE: How Kamloops councillors and staff have leashed the mayor

It came just after Henry Braun, an advisor appointed by the province to help guide council through its seemingly endless spats, delivered his report. 

Braun gave nearly two dozen recommendations, some for council as a whole and some for the mayor, in an effort to help them resolve their issues. Middleton's motion surprised Brauns, but he also said he was "not optimistic" Kamloops city council could work through the rift dividing the mayor and the rest of city hall.

There was little discussion around the horseshoe about the call for his resignation. Hamer-Jackson began asking questions related to a bullying and harassment investigation from last year rather than addressing the issue at hand.

Braun's report almost entirely narrows in on Hamer-Jackson's unwillingness to work with the rest of council or city staff, calling his behaviour often "dismissive and condescending."

The mayor, whose feuds with some councillors and staff began even before the election, has "consistently" maintained that he has "done nothing wrong, made no mistakes and has nothing to apologize for," Braun said.

The advisor's recommendations range from hiring a consultant on retainer to advise council, imposing financial penalties and even lobbying the province to bring in renewed recall legislation for elected officials.

Aside from calling on the mayor to leave his post, no decisions have been made on how to proceed with Braun's report. Braun said that it's been sent to the province, but it's not clear whether Victoria will respond.

"I tried to present a picture of what's going on here and the rest is up to council," Braun said. "They're the governors and the policy makers."

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