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(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)
December 27, 2023 - 1:00 PM
An advisor appointed by the province to work with clashing Kamloops city councillors was ousted from the position just before his work started.
Peter Fassbender, a former BC cabinet minister and Langley mayor, was contracted as an advisor to city hall by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. He was tasked with providing support and recommendations to address communication and decision-making among elected officials.
Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson confirmed Fassbender was out and told him the ministry is going a "different direction."
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He couldn't say what that means for the future of the advisory role, which was requested by city council this fall. Councillor Margot Middleton proposed the idea, citing "dysfunction and discord" around the horseshoe.
The ministry said it is working quickly to find the "best fit" for a new advisor.
It's not clear whether it has a timeline or why Fassbender was ousted. The emailed statement echoed Hamer-Jackson's comment, telling iNFOnews.ca the ministry is taking a "different direction."
"The focus continues to be on helping the Kamloops city council resolve its challenges so the people of Kamloops can be best served by their elected officials," a ministry statement read. "We thank Mr. Fassbender for the work he has done."
Fassbender's final report with recommendations for city council was expected by April, but it's not clear whether that timeline will be moved.
— This story was updated at 3:55 p.m., Dec. 27, 2023, with a statement from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
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