Seeking peace in Nanaimo

Never mind world peace — residents of Nanaimo would like peace a little closer to home. Perhaps that can be achieved if the city council chooses the right chief administrative officer, and if the mayor and council abide by that person’s advice.

Nanaimo’s mayor and council announced last week that CAO Tracy Samra, who has been on leave since Feb. 1, is no longer employed by the city. That follows a previous announcement that the city’s chief financial officer, who had also been on leave, has left the city’s employ.

The process has begun to choose an interim CAO. That person’s experience should probably include a few stints at refereeing rowdy hockey games.

It’s been a stormy couple of years at Nanaimo city hall. The city is known for public arguments and rocky relations among administration and council members. The turmoil has included intervention by the RCMP, appointment of special prosecutor on two occasions, a peace bond against Samra and a lawsuit (later dropped) by the city against the mayor for allegedly violating confidentiality.

In 2017, a group of frustrated citizens started a petition demanding a code of conduct for city hall.

Let’s hope the new CAO is an experienced professional with the skills and temperament needed to bring stability and peace into Nanaimo’s city government, and that mayor and council will heed that person’s advice. There will always be differing points of view in a council, but when disagreements become hostile and disrespectful, the city’s reputation and well-being are eroded.