Editorial:
Last week – Richard Wilbur of Kamloops Critic, a Kamloops-based website that writes on governance issues in relation to Kamloops City Council, wrote that, in his opinion, that the office of Kamloops’ Chief Administrative Officer should be “reset” by way of a change in that office, in light of the well covered governance challenges on Kamloops Council since the beginning of this term on November 1, 2022 – you can read his editorial at https://kamloopscritic.ca/post/2025/kamloops-cao-reset-city-hall/
Mr. Wilbur correctly stated that:
Calls to replace a (local government’s) Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) should never be made lightly. In a well-functioning (local government), such decisions are not driven by ideology, personal conflict, or political gamesmanship. They are driven by governance.
As he states above – calls to change the occupant of CAO at a local government in BC should not done lightly but with great and extreme care including receiving of significant legal advice as it would be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) decision a BC Local Government and its' elected officials would make in its’ term of elected office
He is also correct when identifying the role of the Chief Administrative Officer (and by extension, his or her staff) as:
• Provide fearless, neutral, non-partisan advice to Kamloops City Council
• Ensure procedural fairness and transparency (to Kamloops Council in presenting all the facts for its’ consideration)
• Implement Council direction faithfully, fully (and loyally to the current elected Kamloops City Council and NOT a future one)
• Protect public trust in civic processes
• Maintain a strict separation between administration and political outcomes
In a term of local government in British Columbia -- There are many opportunities to expand the knowledge of local government at the political level including two individuals who are significantly sought after for educating elected officials who include George Cuff and Linda Adams. I have included their past presentations at BC’s Local Government Leadership Academy:
1) George Cuff -- https://lgla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/George-Cuff-LGLA2014.pdf
2) Linda Adams -- https://lgla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016-LGLA-Elected-Staff-Relations-Adams-Horth.pdf
While I don't agree nor share in the conclusions’ of Mr. Wilbur in relation to changing the occupant in the office of the CAO in the City of Kamloops, I can appreciate and respect some of his analysis - I can concur that there is definitely a governance challenge in Kamloops which has been well notarized by many local media reports and the recent report of former Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun – both within Kamloops City Council itself as well as between some members of the public and the full Kamloops City Council (Mayor + 8 Councillors’) which ultimately will be resolved when the voters of Kamloops enter the polling booth on October 17, 2026 to elect a new Kamloops Mayor and 8 Kamloops City Councillors for a new 4 year term from 2026-2030
After this date, I would suggest that would be the opportunity for the new 2026-2030 Kamloops City Council to build a refreshed and strengthened relationship between them and their chief administrative officer which will be informed by best practices in BC Local Government as well as forthcoming updated provincial legislation in relation to strengthened Codes of Conducts for local elected officials, which is currently anticipated to be tabled in the Spring 2026 session of the BC Legislature (also applicable to other BC Local Governments', whether Municipal Councils' or Regional District Boards')
But now is NOT the time to change the current occupant of CAO for the City of Kamloops, with less than ten months to go before the October 17, 2026 City of Kamloops Local General Elections (Mayor, Councillors and School Trustees)
Note: This editorial is my personal opinion and is not connected to my elected role as Cariboo Regional District Electoral Area “D” Director
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