Acting Mayor Ends Work on Safe Consumption Site in Williams Lake

Acting Mayor Scott Nelson halted any action following a recommendation that the Town of Williams Lake begin discussions with Interior Health about possible locations for a safe consumption site in the community.

Nelson said Mayor Surinderpal Rathor, who was on vacation at the time of the council’s regular meeting Oct. 22, also planned to speak to staff about the matter.

In Rathor’s absence, Nelson made a notice of motion at the meeting to prevent further action on the recommendation, which was presented by a committee of the whole and adopted by council at a regular meeting on October 8 . Nelson was not present. the meeting that presented the recommendation, but opposed it when it was brought to council at a regular meeting on October 8.

Nelson said that while he could not have made the notice of motion as a councilor, but as acting mayor, from the mayor’s office he could bring the item back to council for further discussion .

“This will give the council the opportunity to come back to the issue in two weeks to discuss it, so no action can be taken until we discuss it,” Nelson said.

The October 1 committee of the whole motion resulted from a presentation by Cianna O’Connor, who called for action to help end toxic drug-related deaths in the community.

After the meeting, Mayor Rathor said via text message that he had no problem bringing the topic back to the table for further discussion because nothing had yet been scheduled with Interior Health.

Rathor said more than 200 people called, messaged and emailed him after Nelson posted a video on the topic on his social media and he wanted the community to know he was taking its decisions based both on its knowledge and on listening to the community.