City orders Kamloops mayor to remove torched SUV from his car lot

A twice-burned vehicle on the Kamloops mayor's car lot has been deemed a fire hazard and he's been ordered to tow it. Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said fire chief Ken Uzeloc visited the downtown auto lot and served Hamer-Jackson with an order to remove the SUV from the property. The order stipulates that either he will do it or the city will make arrangements to tow it for him. "So that's the problem in the City of Kamloops, the mayor's tarped-up vehicle is a fire hazard," Hamer-Jackson said. "And I refuse to bring another totalled-off vehicle home." He said he feels the order targets him and doesn't address the problems on West Victoria Street. Uzeloc said the city has fielded multiple complaints about the twice-torched Pontiac Torrent when he spoke with iNFOnews.ca last week. It's been torched twice and had a tarp stolen from over top at least once. Earlier this month, someone covered it with cardboard and plywood, making a camp inside. Not only is Uzeloc concerned about future potential fires, following two arson investigations, but it's also become an "attractant" for people to gather on the mayor's property. Despite who owns the lot, he said bylaw enforcement applies the same no matter who's name is on the title. "From my perspective, this is being looked at as it would if it occurred on any other property. I'm treating it the same way," Uzeloc said, who also oversees the city's bylaw department. The mayor contends the enforcement is being directed at him, which was echoed his neighbours at Stereo Warehouse, who were recently directed to complain to the city and have the vehicle removed. Nina Johal sent an email to city council last week, listing their concerns with several fires and trespassers on their property and the mayor's business, Tru Market. In response, Councillor Dale Bass said council shares her concern and the city is doing what it can do address the social issues in the area. "We continue to work daily on identifying other ways to address the issue," she said, before suggesting Johal make a complaint about the mayor's burned out vehicle so it can be deemed a nuisance and towed. Johal, however, said she would not make a complaint about the vehicle. She told iNFOnews.ca she felt she was being dragged into council's internal conflicts, rather than having her concerns addressed. When asked about whether she intended to target the mayor, Bass said she was not looking to direct enforcement at the mayor's business. She was instead relaying the suggestion from deputy chief administrative officer Byron McCorkell. McCorkell did not return a phone call from iNFOnews.ca. Although the SUV was turned into a makeshift camp just last week, the mayor since surrounded the vehicle with a tarp. He questioned how the vehicle could be deemed a fire hazard as it sits on his lot. It was shortly after the October 2022 election when it was set ablaze the first time https://infotel.ca/inwheels/kamloops-mayor-elect-calls-timing-of-fire-at-his-car-lot-odd/it94657 . Nearly a year later, it was torched again. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/vehicle-torched-again-at-kamloops-mayors-dealership/it100967 Hamer-Jackson said there are five separate police investigations, including two arsons and a theft of a tarp he used to cover it. Although he told iNFOnews.ca he plans to leave the vehicle on the lot because he's still considering whether he'll sell its parts, Johal said he is "making a point" by leaving the remains of two arsons at his downtown business. To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry mailto:llandry@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .