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Nanaimo council expresses regret about CAO’s treatment at city hall

Council accepts findings of report into workplace environment
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Nanaimo Coun. Bill Yoachim reads a letter Friday addressed to city chief administrative officer Tracy Samra, expressing council’s regret for the deterioration of the working relationship at city hall. (GREG SAKAKI/The News Bulletin)

Nanaimo council will try to repair a relationship with the city’s chief administrative officer.

Council passed an in-camera resolution Sept. 11 to communicate to CAO Tracy Samra that it accepts the findings and recommendations of a report into the workplace environment at city hall.

Coun. Bill Yoachim read a letter to CAO Tracy Samra last Friday after the Snuneymuxw flag was taken down from Nanaimo City Hall, and Yoachim re-read the letter at Monday’s city council meeting.

“Council expresses its regret for the deterioration in the relationships and commits to working diligently to support you in your return to work and take steps to foster a positive work environment,” Yoachim read.

The letter added that council will adhere to procedures governing interactions between staff and council members.

“We look forward to working together in a manner which is positive, constructive and seeks to serve the citizens of Nanaimo,” the letter notes.

Yoachim said Friday that it broke his “heavy heart” to report that the in-camera resolution “wasn’t unanimous … I won’t say the two that voted against it.”

Samra thanked council Monday for reviewing the findings of the report prepared by Roslyn Goldner following a months-long investigation.

“I’ve very happy to hear that you’ve accepted the findings of fact and have started a pathway towards addressing some of the findings, in particular the work environment for me and for my staff…” Samra said. “We can certainly disagree and we certainly don’t have to be friends, but at this table, we need to work together.”

Coun. Gord Fuller asked when the Goldner report would be made public, and Samra suggested that releasing the report might hamper efforts to constructively move forward. She asked mayor and council to take the findings and recommendations seriously.

“Every one of us is here to serve the community, and this fighting and this turmoil and these denials, they need to stop. We need to set these aside and be the professionals that we are and work together in a good way,” Samra said.

editor@nanaimobulletin.com