Nanaimo Council: spying, lying and cheating

The Nanaimo council meeting on Monday night included two and half hours of high drama. Instead of debating the list of policies to be repealed, the Councillors and Mayor went at each other. Everything was on the table including spying, lying, and cheating.

There were two delegations who spoke about the new Council policy package. One speaker raised many interesting points about the new portfolio system which was adopted by Council. The citizen was concerned that this would lead to additional costs and would lead to numerous loop holes in the system.

The second speaker asked Council to cancel the $1,100 pay raise Council voted to give themselves two weeks ago which would mean an additional $20,000 in costs for the taxpayers for the remainder of the term. Also, the delegation stated they should not be allowed to give themselves a raise but only do this at the end of their term so it would not appear that they are lining their own pockets.

The second delegation spoke of the drama going on with the Mayor and councillors. This is when the flood gates opened. Here are some of the main highlights:

Yoachim: …I agree with you…on the drama…everyone has had to step up for the Mayor…I have been threatened legally…I will be threatened by lawsuits…I am tired of in-camera meetings…

Kipp: …There is duplication in our [local] districts … five CAO’s [chief admin officers] cost  taxpayers…13 government bodies here… One in Surrey.  We all knew about it…this process…no invoice…promised councillor input…no process…it wasn’t confidential… 50 hours each total?…multiple lawyers…1 year of billing…$50,000 in billings. We all agreed to this?…I didn’t agree to this…I don’t agree to a second report…a lawyer, mayor and a cop met…a contract…the chaos …people are racking up bills and people don’t know about this. I didn’t agree to this…$50,000 bills paid…I’m sorry to keep the public in the dark…I have sent so many emails to the Mayor and never get any answers to my emails…I should never have asked for FOI it turned me off…

Fuller: …people have wanted stuff to come out…Yoachim has been far too lenient with the Mayor; he doesn’t attend meetings…he has made derogatory comments about councillors…FOI on breach of confidentiality given to Integrity Group…when we talk of the strange mess of things…Mayor will no longer attend in-camera without a lawyer… the bullying thing… Yoachim gives lists to discuss this and reduce in-camera meetings…he wanted us to do his work as Mayor…I might get into shit for this…more coming. Way more coming…

City Manager: …invoices remain outstanding on Integrity Group…

Pratt: …this increase in our compensation needs to be deliberated further, we need to make a motion on that…can I get some direction? (swivels head from left to right)

Fuller: …we keep bringing up the Watson report…is part of our policy…received as a report but never adopted by council?…We are putting a lot on a report…

McKay: …we have a member of our Council who runs a social media account that harms council members… (gives stink eye to Fuller)

City Manager: …council members are expressing opinions on social media…we monitor it and follow it…you can disagree at the council table once motion has been accepted then you have a duty to promote City…even if you have a unique position…

Mayor: …if I want to go to Victoria and talk to the Mayor…and have lunch…what’s the process?…

Staff: …in a City with a 200 million budget…$2 may be worth more…because of transparency…we have a process to follow…needs to be communicated to rest of council …acting mayor would approve…

Mayor: …seven members held a private meeting on Feb 25th…four members met at restaurant on Feb 29th …seven council members met on March 17th …Seven members met at Kipp’s house…here’s an email from Bestwick using a private email account not city’s …[email] went to everyone but me… (how did McKay find out about it?)

City Manager:…you [Mayor] have made an accusation…having a meeting to further council’s agenda [behind your back]…apology forthcoming?

Mayor: …councillors [must] stop having private meetings behind my back…

Brennan: …this meeting has moved into the area of… (no holds barred)

Hong: …the meeting at [restaurant] was a…fundraiser…

Bestwick: …do not air your laundry…Colliery Dam issue. You [Mayor] had no desire…I am not on social media…your failure to lead…

Mayor: …I wasn’t invited…

Bestwick: …you [Mayor] have been asked to work with us…you [Mayor] demand that people be fired…

Mayor: …the work of Integrity Group was done to prevent a formal investigation…

Yoachim: …CAO was crying from Mayor’s actions…left the room…we go to her office to check up…my nephew has cancer and is having treatments…it was a fundraising meeting…you [Mayor] better give an apology…

Kipp: …we have been threatened …you [Mayor] hire a lawyer to go after me…how many lawyers?…you [Mayor] wanted her fired…[city manager]


Spying is a lot of work and requires eating on the run.