Councillor Bill Sarai has admitted to secretly recording the Mayor and lying to him about it. He then apologized for his actions.

During a special council meeting Tuesday afternoon, Sarai addressed council and the broader community.

“I am here today to apologize my colleagues, residents of Kamloops and to my family. Recording my conversation with the mayor was not illegal, but it was unprofessional and unacceptable. When confronted with the source of the recording, I was truthful to the authorities, but not to the mayor. For that, I apologize for lying to you, Mr. Mayor.”

“I realize that I broke our code of conduct, and I will fully participate in any consequences deemed appropriate. I strive to hold a high standard as your publicly elected official, to make discourse in our city better form, to the professional standards, instead of acting in a reactionary way, something that I will improve on, and something that this city deserves from all of our elected officials. I know I have damaged the trust I had with all of you, and I’m committed doing what’s necessary turn it back on that I’ve made a decision to concentrate more on my mental health, well being has been profoundly affected from the ongoing stressful environment within and outside of this council chambers for the past two years. I hope you all understand that I respect my decision. Thank you.”

Counc. Sarai was scheduled to be the deputy mayor for the month of December. The role of Deputy Mayor has become much more prominent since the Mayor was stripped of his abilities to speak on behalf of the City by council, with the Deputy Mayor taking over as official spokesperson each month.

The Deputy Mayor role for the month of December will now fall on Councillor Margot Middleton.

During Tuesday’s brief 13 minute meeting, Mayor Hamer-Jackson did ask to have both his salary and his duties as the city’s official spokesperson reinstated. “I’d like to know if this council is prepared to reverse all the measures that they’ve taken against me due to false allegations.”

“It has been a real whirlwind for myself. This video created, sparked the Honcharuk Report. Sparked the Braun report. Mr. Braun referred to the Honcharuk report, which was a report that I would like council to release today… There’s no reason for the public to not be able to see it.”

A motion to release the report never made the floor.

A statement was read in council chambers by Councillor Kelly Hall. “There’s been a lot of misinformation circulating today around this and this past week, around this argument between the mayor and councilor Sarai. To correct the record, the protective measures imposed by council to shield staff from the mayor had nothing to do with this argument. The mayor is well aware of this.”

Mayor Hamer Jackson then spoke over Counc. Hall. “Sorry, sorry. Don’t put words in my mouth. Sorry, don’t think for me.”

Hall continued, “Finally, this argument had nothing to do with any of the subsequent independent investigations into the mayor’s breaches the code of conduct or WorkSafe BC, complaints about his mistreatment of staff. Any statements to the contrary are simply not true. Thank you.”