(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
December 22, 2023 - 6:00 PM
Although the province sent an advisor to work with Kamloops city council for four months, his recommendations in the end won't have any teeth.
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs sent Peter Fassbender, a former politician, to help the embattled city council after they sought help from the province this fall.
Fassbender is expected to complete a report in April which will make recommendations to improve communication, clarify roles and help with effective decision-making, the ministry said in a statement.
READ MORE: Kamloops mayor says he's the subject of 'several' investigations
The former Langley mayor and cabinet minister's suggestions will be non-binding, but the ministry added the city has other methods to address its issues that Coun. Margot Middleton described as "dysfunction and discord."
Other tools to enforce "expected standards of behaviour" include the city's own code of conduct and its oath of office, according to the ministry.
Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, who is also the subject of multiple code of conduct investigations, said he's looking forward to getting Fassbender's outside perspective on the turmoil at city hall.
READ MORE: Repeat offender gets sentence reduced in Vernon
Kamloops is the fourth municipality to get an appointed advisor in BC in 2023 and the only one with a population over 2,500 since 2017.
The village of Silverton is also currently getting help from an advisor, while Harrison Hot Springs and Lions Bay had help from advisors earlier this year. Before that it sent another to Wells in 2022 and McBride in 2017.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.
News from © iNFOnews, 2023