B.C. mayor asks council to approve hiring investigator to find 'mole' writing critical letters about him

In the last year, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs has seen virtually its entire senior staff resign or retire, a new councillor resign, and multiple meetings end abruptly after shouting matches, some with threats of arrests.

But on Monday, things escalated. 

"We know very well that the mole exists," said Mayor Ed Wood in council, referencing the name on top of an anonymous letter distributed across the Fraser Valley village of 2,000 people.

The letter is highly critical of the mayor and the councillor who supports him, and the mayor's conduct in both his political and personal life. Similar letters were published earlier this year.

In response, Wood put forward a motion asking staff to hire an independent lawyer "to identify and prosecute 'the mole' in a court of law," saying it was "crucial village business." 

He also offered his own personal $5,000 reward to anyone who could find the mole, in case councillors had issues with village funds being used for such a task.  

After that — as is often the case with Harrison Hot Springs politics — things went off the rails.

'Grow up!'

Many of the debates on Harrison Hot Springs council end with 3-2 votes, with the mayor on the losing end, and Monday's discussion of the mole was no different.

"In my opinion, this is not a council issue. Should the two councillors wish to support it further, they go through the RCMP or civil litigation," said Coun. Michie Vidal. 

That opinion was seconded by Coun. Allan Jackson, who said he had received "hundreds" of nasty letters against him during his time in public life in the village. 

"I never made an issue of it. I sucked it up. That's just part of the game that we're unfortunately involved in."

The other two people on council, John Allen and Leo Facio, are both former mayors — and in Facio's comments, he said he's put up with criticism from Allen for 25 years. 

"[He's] accused me of everything from the sun going pink to the water going brown, and everything else about me, my family and my children. And it's absolutely deplorable what I've had to put up with." 

Facio and Allen then began shouting over one another.

In addition, Wood claimed that the mole was either a current or past councillor. 

"That's not debatable, that's a fact," he said. 

When Jackson said "that's not a fact," Wood said "you're out of order," and then shouted "I am speaking," before shouting "grow up!" to another councillor later in the debate. 

When asked for an interview about the meeting by CBC News, Wood declined.

Province adopts wait and see approach

While many of the municipalities that faced dysfunctional governance earlier this year have become more peaceful through resignations, training or mutual understanding, Harrison continues to face issues.  

Earlier this year, the provincial government appointed Ron Poole, a veteran municipal government consultant, as a temporary advisor, and in early November he gave his last report to council before his contract ended.

"The real issue facing Harrison Hot Springs council is still its inability to work cohesively," said Poole.

"Nobody can change your personalities … this council's been plagued for years of prior history, and it's affecting their current actions to date."

Poole then gave a series of recommendations to council, including establishing a budget so they could be trained on how council processes work, and establishing a clear process for how agendas are adopted.

Seconds after council approved Poole's final report, they began shouting over one another, and the meeting was abruptly adjourned.

During Monday's meeting, Wood also said the RCMP had an open file concerning an assault against him, along with what he perceived to be a death threat.

The Upper Fraser Valley RCMP detachment told CBC News they are "investigating an assault and an unrelated incident of uttering threats where Mayor Ed Wood was the intended victim," and no charges have been laid yet. 

There is now no provincial oversight of Harrison Hot Springs, and under provincial law there is no recall mechanism for councillors until the next election, three years from now.

When asked for comment on the current situation, Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang said very little.

"Each member of council agreed collectively and individually to work with the municipal advisor to improve governance for their community," she said.

"We know this process will take time, and I look forward to hearing about council's progress on implementing the municipal advisor's final report, so they can best represent and serve the people of Harrison Hot Springs." 

In the meantime, Harrison Hot Springs will keep attempting to govern its affairs — but as Wood admitted at Monday's meeting, that won't be easy. 

"The tone in the village has got to a level that it needs to be brought under control," he said. 

"For this council to think it's going to disappear on its own ... we need to take this seriously."