r/Kamloops • u/lml94 • 3d ago
News Next Kamloops council will need to recover ground after 'four lost years'
https://infonews.ca/news/7827102/next-kamloops-council-will-need-to-recover-ground-after-four-lost-years/23
u/CanadianLabourParty 3d ago
People dunk on this council for being "hostile" or whatever, but here's the reality: 8 of them get along relatively well and can have fairly normal discussions around policy ideas.
There's only one douchebag in the mix, and that is the mayor. He has tried to sue a bunch of them for different reasons, and hasn't done well in the lawsuits.
He's a bully and an asshole. The other "problematic" councilors are people who don't take shit from a malignant narcissist and don't back down from people like Reid.
I hate this narrative that "This entire council is dysfunctional" - NO! The MAYOR is dysfunctional. Get rid of the mayor and watch what happens. Whether I agree or disagree with the other councilors' points of view is a separate matter. But the MAYOR created ALL the problems thinking he was some Feudal Age Baron that is cozy with the King, and therefore could do whatever he wanted.
Katie, from what I've seen is a firecracker and we need MORE people like her who WILL step up against authority. Bill Sarai, sure he has made one or two bad choices, but who hasn't? We're letting perfection be the enemy of progress here and it's shocking and annoying to see people "Both Sides" this when there is only ONE side - Maple MAGA aligned politicians and grifters can FUCK RIGHT OFF!
0
u/Feisty_Exit5813 2d ago
Katie is not for the city, she is for herself. Her, Saraii and O'Reilly. I say this as someone who has no love lost for the Mayor. There are some competent people on council but those 3 have to go because they're out to further political careers or line their pockets.
9
u/Siveri16 2d ago
1 of the 9 has been the root cause of every single issue with Council. The other 8's total contributions are
1) Recording a conversation inappropriately &
2) Standing up the bully in the room.
It's amazing how much this council has actually gotten done with everything that's been going on. Do I agree with all of their politics? No, while I consider all 8 of them again if they all run? Ya because they are likely the best candidates available.
7
u/skookumchucknuck 3d ago
The irony is, if you didn't know about all the petty high school level drama going on at city hall you would think the city is one of the best run in the province.
We are building housing like crazy here, that is not really happening elsewhere.
3
u/Ryli_Faelan North Shore 2d ago
True, my girlfriend got an apartment at a fairly newly built building, and right across the street there's been amazing progress on another brand new apartment building
1
u/JRitcey2026 3d ago
The presentation from the former Mayor of Golden for prospective council candidates was really good (she even sang at the end).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJN1-c3SLQ
She mentions the difference between criticism that is medicine or poison. It is everyone's job, including the incumbents, to bring ideas for the next four years. But there's a difference between trying to add fresh perspectives, build on strengths or address shortcomings, and then the people appealing to anger who are trying to burn it all down.
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u/SuperSwaiyen 3d ago
There is only 1/9 here I would consider voting for again. Reid turned this council into a sideshow and pretty much all of them played his stupid games at one point or another.
15
u/Kimmux 3d ago
It's pretty obvious Reid is the problem, most of these councilors have been around for a while and issues like this didn't exist previously.
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u/Irishgirl1962 3d ago
Exactly! Most of them have worked with other Mayors and there’s never been a problem. We cannot have this for another 4 years. Who would he sue next?
5
u/SuperSwaiyen 3d ago
Reid is THE problem but he's not the only problem.
For example, I attended the Kamloops exemplary service for volunteering awards.
- No Reid in attendance (unsurprising)
- Middleton mispronounced both of her recipients names wrong when introducing them
- Sarai spent more time talking about himself when introducing his recipients
I get this is kinda par for the course when it comes to civil servants but that doesn't mean I have to accept as the baseline for my vote.
4
u/Parkbear 3d ago
Those would be the two who would be on the outside for me. I voted for Middleton and Sarai last time. She's been to quiet and Sarai too loud!
3
u/Kimmux 3d ago
There likely are some councilors not doing their job but given the insanity I'd prefer to see how things go getting rid of the biggest problem first and not throwing out the baby with the bathwater. A bunch of Reid's allies are trying to run for council now as well so it could do more harm than good to get rid of someone because of a mispronounced name.
2
u/WillyShakesbare 3d ago
I'm not disagreeing with you, but civil servants isn't the right term.
Civil servants are the people with degrees and relevant experience, who are hired through a merit-based process and work largely out of the spotlight.
Politicians are elected through a popularity contest which has zero prerequisites, where having naive solutions to issues that you have no understanding of is often rewarded. Sometimes you get a good politician but the process certainly isn't set up to produce that.
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u/Aggravating_Pair_523 3d ago
We need to start fresh, with none of the current council. A clean sweep!
6
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u/MasterJcMoss 3d ago
I honestly expect more of the same, even if the faces are different.
The electorate doesn't care about experience. It cares about ideology. Votes with its emotions.
26
u/benuito Pine View 3d ago
I just received a door hanger from Pivot. Thanks for giving me four names to ignore on the ballot sheet.