Unhappy with City Hall office move, Kamloops mayor sets up shop at his West Victoria car lot

KAMLOOPS – The mayor of Kamloops has officially been locked out of his office.

Earlier this month, city council ordered Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s office moved to an unused boardroom in the basement of city hall, citing multiple open worksafe investigations against Hamer-Jackson.

“He bullies and harasses, and staff does not feel safe. We have staff off on medical leave because of his presence,” said deputy mayor Dale Bass. “We have an obligation to provide a safe working environment for our staff. That means ensuring the mayor does not have access to staff.”

Bass added that the boardroom was renovated and provided a larger and updated space.

“I told them not to spend a nickel of taxpayers’ dollars on doing a big renovation and making an office,” Hamer-Jackson told CFJC Today. “That’s just not necessary.”

Hamer-Jackson has been vocally against moving from his office, denouncing the four open WorkSafe BC investigations against him.

“I’m not even working near people to bully or harass,” he said. “[For] 30 years I’ve had an account with WorkSafe BC, and I’ve never had one [complaint] in 30 years or better.”

Earlier this week, city staff restricted his access within city hall.

Instead of operating out of his new digs, Hamer-Jackson has been using his commercial property to meet with constituents against the city’s wishes.

“He wants to meet in an empty building that he owns across from the shelters that he has been complaining about on a site that he has said is not safe. It is ridiculous,” said Bass.

“He has an office here. He won’t use it. He should be using it. He demeans the city by doing what he’s planning on doing. I hope he realizes and listens to what I said in the email that I sent to him last week as deputy mayor, which is, ‘This is not allowed.’”

Hamer-Jackson has stated that his relocated City Hall office is not wheelchair accessible and that is why he is encouraging people to meet him at his Victoria Street West property.

“He’s complaining now that it’s not accessible, but he has been told that if someone comes in to meet with him with mobility issues, he can come up to this floor and use the counsellor’s office. It’s accessible,” said Bass. “He’s jumping around with reasoning, but basically he just doesn’t want to do it.”

The mayor’s office has been locked with many of his documents still inside.

The mayor is able to access his office with an escort from council.

“Someone will escort him in to get his things and move into his new office. He’s ignored that message so far,” said Bass. “We are at a standstill, and it will be up to staff to decide what we need to do next.”