The mayor says the letter exonerates him on several issues, while council says it shows how early into their term things began to shift at city hall | STORY: #Kamloops

 

Kamloops city council has quietly made public a letter sent to Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson that lays out a litany of legal liabilities he posed to the city just a month into his term.




It was delivered to the mayor on behalf of council in December 2022 and he repeatedly asked for it to be released to the public in the months and years that followed. 


Why he wanted the four-page letter to be public and why council released it now isn't clear, but what is clear is council had serious concerns about his behaviour from the outset.


"One ill chosen comment or action can result in significant legal exposure that is often difficult to mitigate. We all want to avoid involving the city in unnecessary claims such as this," the Dec. 9, 2022 letter reads.


Signed by all eight city councillors, it was given to him to explain why they held two closed-door meetings without him that same week. They were getting legal advice to address or minimize the legal risk that followed his behaviour.


It also warned the contents of the letter itself remain confidential and he was not to share it with anyone, even his own lawyer.


"If this information becomes public, it could further jeopardize the city's legal position," it reads.


Many of the examples included are early-term controversies which have already been reported,

 but it provides insight to how the city reacted to his conduct and fears it may cost taxpayers.


The first example within the letter was a November 2022 defamation threat against Hamer-Jackson from ASK Wellness and its CEO Bob Hughes.


 It resulted in fiery letters between Hamer-Jackson's then-lawyer Dave McMillan and the non-profit's lawyer.

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