The City of Nanaimo has launched an internal investigation following threats made at city hall last week.
The incident, which happened last Wednesday night, resulted in a woman鈥檚 arrest after threats were made against the mayor and a city councillor.
Mayor Bill McKay said he received a call from RCMP that night advising him of a death threat.
鈥淭he superintendent advised me that there had been an incident at city hall and that there鈥檇 been threats uttered against myself and councillor [Diane] Brennan,鈥� said McKay.
鈥淚 won鈥檛 be the first politician that鈥檚 had death threats against them, however, you have to consider the source, you have to consider the risk to you.鈥�
RCMP Island District is leading the police investigation and won鈥檛 disclose the name of the woman arrested because she hasn鈥檛 been charged.
McKay said he couldn鈥檛 confirm or deny that it was chief administrative officer Tracy Samra arrested, but she was not in her office on Monday. He is still unsure how last week鈥檚 incident would impact the city manager鈥檚 position.
鈥淎t this particular point it鈥檚 too early to tell,鈥� McKay said. 鈥淢s. Samra鈥檚 on leave right now. We鈥檙e hearing all kinds of rumours out there about what may happen in the coming weeks with respect to ; however, she鈥檚 not confirmed that with council that she鈥檚 going anywhere. She鈥檚 still employed by the City of Nanaimo.鈥�
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The mayor said there were city staff members at city hall who witnessed Wednesday鈥檚 incident, 鈥渁nd I am very concerned for them, because apparently it wasn鈥檛 very pretty.鈥�
He said the process has already started as far as the city鈥檚 own investigation. The City of Nanaimo human resources department is working with legal counsel and an investigative firm.
鈥淏ased on Worksafe regulations, violence in the workplace regulations, we have to cover that off,鈥� McKay said.
He provided other members of city council with all the information he had on Thursday morning, and then updated them later Thursday and again on Friday. McKay said he looks forward to getting the internal investigation completed 鈥渁s fast as we possibly can.鈥�
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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