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(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)

The conflicts at Kamloops city hall are costing taxpayers with each new chapter.

Likely the most telling indicator is the conduct investigation tally, so far totalling $287,107.30 in legal costs, according to a summary provided by the City of Kamloops.

A total of 23 code of conduct complaints have been filed to an investigator since July 2023, more than one per month. Just four of the complaints violated the code of conduct bylaw so far.

The council code of conduct is a relatively new policy. Similar policies haven't existed for Kamloops politicians or most councils across the province until last year when the province legislated that municipalities at least consider adopting one.

It's unlikely there are many municipal governments lodging as many complaints against their colleagues as Kamloops has seen.

Most of the 23 conduct investigations have been either withdrawn or dismissed, but some have ended with consequences. If an investigator finds the bylaw was breached, a report goes to council to consider sanctions.

READ MORE: Kamloops councillor says name 'cleared' in report while civil suit looms

Councillor Katie Neustaeter initiated the first one and the investigation confirmed her complaints, finding Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson misled the public. The second half of her complaint was centred around Hamer-Jackson's lawyer at the time and was dismissed because the mayor isn't responsible for his comments.

Though it was the first complaint, it was the most recent report to be made public after Hamer-Jackson spent months trying to block its release. That one ended with a demand for Hamer-Jackson to sign an apology letter in February and the first of two cuts to his salary months later. He hasn't signed the letter.

The investigation cost taxpayers $8,904, which is far from the most expensive on the list.

Two other investigations also confirmed the mayor breached the code of conduct. One cost $46,413 and examined his April release of a confidential workplace investigation to various media outlets.

The other, the most recent to be completed, and $60,850. It found he breached the code when he shared graphic photos with the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce for a slideshow he planned to pair with a speech.

They were two of the costliest investigations and fell short of another that examined the first leak of the same confidential workplace investigation Hamer-Jackson released in April.

The most expensive single investigation cost $63,008, but it was dismissed after some initial concern around councillor Bill Sarai's handling of his copy.

Of the four founded complaints, the only one not aimed at the mayor barely counted as a breach, according to the investigator. Sarai made comments that could have been seen as a conflict of interest, but the investigator found it "trivial" and suggested council do nothing.

READ MORE: Defiant and controversial: Kamloops mayor digs in with half of term left

Aside from those that were founded, seven have been dismissed and another nine were withdrawn.

Three cited costs for their reason to withdraw with the most recent reaching more than $11,000. Two listed no reason for their withdrawal, while four cited concern for "retaliation" from the respondent.

All of the complainants are anonymized in the document provided by the City unless the investigator issues a report to council, which sometimes is done even when it's dismissed.

In total, the $287,107 of taxpayer spending on individual investigations ranges from around $475 to $66,411, but some are duplicates or combined, according to the document updated no Dec. 16.

READ MORE: Kamloops city councillor's secret recording scandal far from over

The most recent to be filed is the only one still ongoing.

"The complainant alleged the respondent recorded a conversation with another elected official then lied about it," the complaint summary read.

It's in reference to Sarai's recording of Hamer-Jackson, which he concealed was his until iNFOnews.ca obtained a copy of the recording through a Freedom of Information request.

No costs have yet been paid for that investigation and it's not clear how long it will take to be completed, though Sarai has publicly admitted to breaching the code of conduct.

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