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(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)

When Kamloops city council asked the province for help smooth their conflicts, the governing NDP answered by contracting a former BC Liberal cabinet minister.

It's not clear why the province then ousted former MLA Peter Fassbender from the job before he started, but it's left the embattled council waiting on the government to hire someone new with no timeline.

"I think I can speak for my seven colleagues, perhaps even the mayor, and say we were stunned," councillor Dale Bass said.

Fassbender was hired last month, tasked with helping city council with "effective decision-making" and with communication issues, a Ministry of Municipal Affairs spokesperson told iNFOnews.ca.

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In early December, he met with the eight councillors just once over a video call and separately with the mayor. The call was more of a meet-and-greet than part of his consulting work, and he was expected to get more involved with the project in the new year.

On Dec. 27, a ministry spokesperson told iNFOnews.ca "the province has decided to take a different direction."

The ministry has not answered whether it has a timeline to hire someone new for the role.

"We have heard nothing since the announcement, which I found out through the media," councillor Stephen Karpuk said. "The province is choosing to go in a 'different direction,' and we don't even know what that is."

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Karpuk said he's hopeful it will only be a brief speed bump, coming months after councillors unanimously agreed on asking for support from the province.

"We're hoping we can get the help we've asked for in a timely and expedited fashion," he said. "Our city really needs us to figure this out."

The advisory role is a contracted position funded by the province. The ministry has only provided them to local governments a few times, including both Harrison Hot Springs and Lions Bay in 2023.

At the end of their work with a local government, the contractor produces a report and gives recommendations to the council they are working with.

Fassbender's work in Kamloops was expected to begin with a visit next week and a final report coming by April. It's not clear what the deadline will be for the new contractor.

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