Spall mayor asked to step aside

Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: April 11, 2009

Spallumcheen’s former mayor wants the current leader to take an unpaid leave of absence. Guenter Rieger, who was mayor of the township for six years in the 1990s, wants Will Hansma to step aside from his mayoral duties while alleged conflict of interest charges against Hansma are before the courts. “To ensure good government will be carried out in Spallumcheen, I would like to ask Mayor Hansma to take a leave of absence, without pay, until his name is cleared of alleged conflict of interest charges filed with the Supreme Court of British Columbia,” said Rieger, acting as a delegation during Monday’s regular monthly council meeting.

Hansma turned the gavel over to Coun. Janice Brown when Rieger was announced, and left the room during Rieger’s presentation. A total of 39 Spallumcheen residents filed conflict of interest charges against Hansma in October. The residents claim Hansma was in conflict in regard to a process involved with a proposed official community plan amendment to change the zoning of property in the township. A property in question, according to Rieger, is owned by members of Hansma’s family, and constitutes an important part of the alleged conflict of interest charges against the mayor. “Council should not interfere with the unsolved legal action...,” said Rieger. “Council should not proceed with that land use application in question until the court case is resolved, and a comprehensive OCP (Official Community Plan) review, as promised, is completed.” Coun. Todd York told Rieger council will wait, along with the public, for the results of the conflict of interest charges against the mayor.“We have received no legal advice to support your position that this should be placed on the backburner until the OCP review has been handled,” said York.

Hansma said he has no plans to step aside. “I don’t feel obligated to do that whatsoever,” said Hansma, who was re-elected in November by a margin of 733 votes to 267 for runner-up Dustin Griffin. Rieger came third in the mayoralty race with 230 votes.