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City councils

Kamloops Mayor Seeks Input from Former Candidates in Strategic Planning Process

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson is reaching out to candidates from the last civic election, including his four mayoral challengers and 15 unsuccessful councillor candidates, to gather their opinions on the city's strategic planning process. Hamer-Jackson believes that including input from these individuals will help make the process more inclusive and provide new ideas for improving Kamloops. However, some former candidates have expressed reservations about involving them in the decision-making process, citing concerns about giving privilege to those who ran for office.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson is seeking input from 19 candidates who ran in the last civic election, including 4 mayoral challengers and 15 unsuccessful councillor candidates.
  • Hamer-Jackson believes that including input from these individuals will help make the strategic planning process more inclusive and provide new ideas for improving Kamloops.
  • Former councillor and mayoral candidate Arjun Singh has expressed reservations about involving candidates in the decision-making process, citing concerns about giving privilege to those who ran for office.
  • Singh believes that decisions should come from the elected council and that any consultation with former candidates should be done with the consent of the rest of city council.
  • Hamer-Jackson has his own ideas for strategic planning and wants to see more of the previous council's 2019-2022 document implemented, with a focus on making community safety a higher priority.
  • The mayor has stated that it will ultimately be up to council to decide if any feedback from former candidates is included in the new strategic plan.

Statistics:

  • 19 candidates are being sought for input, including 4 mayoral challengers and 15 unsuccessful councillor candidates.
  • 2019-2022 is the time period for the previous council's strategic plan document.
  • Community safety is being prioritized as a higher priority for strategic planning.

Sources:

  • Hamer-Jackson, Reid. Quote in KTW: "It's just a thought to include people that have all been running to make Kamloops a better place and I'm here to make Kamloops a better place."
  • Singh, Arjun. Quote in KTW: "Those people rose to the top of the ballot and that's their responsibility and their role now."
  • KTW - Kamloops This Week (online news source)
  • Dave Eagles/KTW (photo caption)

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