Disciplined & Accountable Leadership
Opening City Hall’s doors, respecting your tax dollars, and bringing real accountability back to Council.
A city council shouldn't operate behind closed doors, making decisions first and forcing them onto the community later. True leadership means building an open, transparent feedback loop where residents, homeowners, and local businesses have a clear voice long before the votes are cast. As an executive, I know that culture always starts at the top. Here is how we fix it:
Photo by Peter Robbins on Unsplash
6-Point Action Plan
Action 1: Reforming the AAP (Alternative Approval Process)
What It Is:
Fixing how the city uses the "negative counter" voting system (where citizens must submit a formal form just to say NO to long-term city borrowing) so it can never be used to sneak major taxpayer-funded projects past residents.
Why It Helps You:
It protects your property taxes. Major spending and long-term debt should require explicit community support, not rely on confusing rules or silent approval.
How We Do It:
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Set clear council guidelines to ensure major borrowing goes to open referendums or properly publicized votes rather than relying on low-awareness AAP windows.
Action 2: 'City Hall in the Suburbs' Forums
What It Is:
Moving Council out of the downtown chambers and taking formal open houses and listening forums directly into neighbourhoods across Kamloops.
Why It Helps You:
You won't have to drive downtown or jump through bureaucratic hoops to speak to Council. We come to your neighbourhood community center to share updates, take questions, and listen to local concerns.
How We Do It:
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Schedule quarterly town hall forums in rotating areas like Westsyde, Brocklehurst, Valleyview, and the South Shore, using existing city facilities.
Action 3. Restoring Public Input at Council Meetings
What It Is:
Amending Council's meeting rules to add a dedicated, structured 15-minute public input period back into regular Council meeting agendas.
Why It Helps You:
You won't have to jump through hoops or request formal delegations weeks in advance just to address your elected officials. You get a direct, fair, and respectful opportunity to speak on agenda items before decisions are finalized.
How We Do It:
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Pass a Council motion on Day One to amend the Procedure Bylaw, creating a structured 15-minute citizen inquiry window at meetings with clear, enforced time limits (e.g., 2–3 minutes per speaker) to keep meetings orderly and productive.
Action 4. Leadership Excellence & Mediation Mandate
What It Is:
Bringing executive decorum back to Council and directing city management to enforce strict customer service targets (Service Level Agreements) across all departments.
Why It Helps You:
You get fast, respectful service when applying for permits or making inquiries, while knowing Council is focused on delivering results rather than wasting public money on personal infighting and legal battles.
How We Do It:
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Update the Council Code of Conduct to require mandatory, in-house mediation before triggering costly third-party legal investigations.
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Publish clear turnaround targets for core services (like 14-day permit reviews) and track performance publicly.
Action 5: The Kamloops 'Open Data' Public Dashboard
What It Is:
Taking data the city already collects—like bylaw calls, safety trends, permit delays, and road repairs—and making it visible on an easy public map on the city website.
Why It Helps You:
You get unvarnished facts instead of political spin. You can see real-time trends, construction timelines, and budget spending in your exact neighbourhood.
How We Do It:
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Direct IT staff to connect existing municipal tracking software to an open, easy-to-read public portal on the city website.
Action 6: Citizen-Led 'Red Tape' Challenge Task Force
What It Is:
Creating a temporary advisory team of local business owners, contractors, and residents to review city bylaws, permitting steps, and approval bottlenecks.
Why It Helps You:
It removes costly delays for homeowners and local businesses wanting to build, renovate, or open shop in Kamloops, turning City Hall from a roadblock into a helpful partner.
How We Do It:
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Launch a citizen-led task force tasked with identifying the top 10 most frustrating bureaucratic bottlenecks and bringing direct simplification recommendations back to Council within 90 days.